Sleep Time Linked to Metabolic Syndrome-Related Mortality

Less than 6 hours of sleep was associated with increased mortality risk for individuals with metabolic syndrome, according to the findings of a recent study.

The study included 1344 men and women from the general population involved in the Penn State Adult Cohort (median age 48.8 years). Participants were studied in a sleep laboratory and followed up for a median 16.6 years.
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Over the course of the study, 22% of participants died.

For individuals with metabolic syndrome who slept 6 or more hours, the hazard ratios for all-cause mortality and cardiovascular disease/cerebrovascular mortality were 1.29 and 1.49, respectively. The hazard ratios for all-cause mortality and cardiovascular disease/cerebrovascular mortality were 1.99 and 2.10, respectively, for in individuals with metabolic syndrome who slept less than 6 hours.

The researchers noted that the effect appeared to be modified primarily by elevated blood pressure and glucose dysregulation associated with metabolic syndrome.

“This increased risk is independent of other factors frequently associated with (metabolic syndrome), mortality, or objective sleep duration,” the researchers concluded. “Important, this effect modification was primarily driven by the high [blood pressure] and glucose dysregulation components of (metabolic syndrome), which indicates that objective short sleep duration in persons with (metabolic syndrome) may be related to the degree of central autonomic and metabolic dysfunction.”

“Future studies should examine the pathophysiology of (metabolic syndrome) with objective short sleep duration, whereas future clinical trials should examine whether lengthening sleep improves the prognosis of individuals with (metabolic syndrome).”

—Melissa Weiss

Reference:

Fernandez-Mendoza J, He F, LaGrotte C, Vgontzas AN, Liao D, and Bixler EX. Impact of the Metabolic Syndrome on Mortality is Modified by Objective Short Sleep Duration [published online May 17, 2017]. Am Heart J. https://doi.org/10.1161/JAHA.117.005479