Sleep duration and chronic diseases among U.S. adults age 45 years and older: evidence from the 2010 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System

• Published in: Sleep (New York, N.Y.) Vol. 36; no. 10; pp. 1421 - 1427
• Main Authors: Liu, Yong, Wheaton, Anne G, Chapman, Daniel P, Croft, Janet B
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Associated Professional Sleep Societies, LLC 01.10.2013
• Subjects: Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System; Chronic Disease - epidemiology; Coronary Disease - epidemiology; Coronary Disease - physiopathology; Cross-Sectional Studies; Diabetes Mellitus - epidemiology; Diabetes Mellitus - physiopathology; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Obesity - epidemiology; Obesity - physiopathology; Prevalence; Sleep; Sleep Duration and Chronic Diseases among US Adults Age 45 Years and Older; Stress, Psychological - epidemiology; Stress, Psychological - physiopathology; Stroke - epidemiology; Stroke - physiopathology; Time Factors; United States - epidemiology; United States; sleep duration; population-based survey; Chronic disease; mental health
• ISSN: 0161-8105; 1550-9109
• DOI: 10.5665/sleep.3028

To examine the effects of obesity and frequent mental distress (FMD) on the relationship of sleep duration with coronary heart disease (CHD), stroke, and diabetes. Cross-sectional study. Population-based surveillance. There were 54,269 adults age 45 y or older who completed the 2010 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System survey in 14 states. Nearly one third (31.1% or an estimated 11.1 million) of respondents age 45 y and older reported being short sleepers (≤ 6 h), 64.8% being optimal sleepers (7-9 h), and 4.1% being long sleepers (≥ 10 h) in a 24-h period. Compared with the optimal sleep duration, both short and long sleep durations were significantly associated with obesity, FMD (mental health was not good ≥ 14 days during the past 30 days), CHD, stroke, and diabetes after controlling for sex, age, race/ethnicity, and education. The U-shaped relationships of sleep duration with CHD, stroke, and diabetes were moderately attenuated by FMD. The relationship between sleep duration and diabetes was slightly attenuated by obesity. Sleep duration had U-shaped relationships with leading chronic diseases. Further prospective studies are needed to determine how mental health and maintenance of a normal weight may interact with sleep duration to prevent chronic diseases.