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According to American researchers, irregular sleep contributes to the development of atherosclerosis, particularly in older adults. This condition causes the hardening of arteries due to cholesterol deposits on their walls—known as plaques.
As a result, atherosclerosis leads to narrowed arteries, reduced blood flow, and decreased delivery of oxygen and nutrients to the body, which can result in blood clots. The consequences of atherosclerosis include heart attacks and strokes—cardiovascular diseases that are considered among the leading causes of death worldwide.
What Scientists Discovered
A team of cardiologists from leading medical centers in the U.S. conducted a three-year study involving more than 2,000 adults, with an average age of 69. Participants were equipped with trackers to monitor their nighttime sleep and wakefulness. Researchers also systematically observed the accumulation of arterial plaques in the participants.
The scientists found that volunteers whose sleep duration varied by more than two hours throughout the week were 40 percent more likely to have a significant amount of hardened plaques in their arteries. Additionally, these individuals had a 12 percent higher likelihood of developing fatty plaques in the arteries of their necks, as reported by the Daily Mail.
Participants who altered their sleep time by more than 90 minutes a week had a 43 percent greater chance of having high calcium levels in their coronary arteries compared to those who changed their sleep duration by only 30 minutes.
Kelsey Full from Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Tennessee, the lead author of the study, noted that this is one of the first studies to provide evidence of the link between irregular sleep duration and atherosclerosis.
Maintaining a regular sleep schedule is an easily adjustable lifestyle choice that not only improves nighttime rest but also reduces the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases in older adults, according to Kelsey Full.
Irregular sleep is also associated with high blood pressure, obesity, and type 2 diabetes.
In an article for the American Heart Association journal, researchers emphasized that doctors should encourage their patients to adopt a regular sleep routine. This could help avert the risk of premature death and promote a long, healthy life.
