Naps and cardiovascular disease risk in different age and sex groups: evidence from a large community cohort

Study Objectives:

This study examined the relationship between naps and cardiovascular disease (CVD) events or death in different age and sex groups.

Methods:

A total of 3,069 participants stratified by age (< 65, 65–74, and ≥ 75 years old) and sex, underwent Cox regression analysis to assess nap’s impact on CVD risk. Restricted cubic spline plots were used for dose-response relationships.

Results:

Significant age-stratified interactions were found when exploring the associations between nap frequency or duration and CVD events (P_interaction = .001, .036, respectively). Individuals younger than 65 years with higher nap frequency or longer nap duration had a significantly increased risk of CVD events (P < .001, P = .001, respectively). The age group of 65–74 years showed significant associations between CVD events and nap frequency or nap duration (P = .017, .016, respectively), together with nap duration and CVD deaths (P = .008). In the subgroup of females aged 65–74, significant associations were found between nap frequency or duration and CVD events (P = .006, .002, respectively). Nap frequency or duration was also significantly associated with CVD deaths (P = .005, .010 respectively).

Conclusions:

This study underscores a noteworthy correlation between a higher frequency or longer duration of daytime nap and an increased susceptibility to CVD among individuals aged 65–74 years, particularly in females. However, further research is needed to better understand the underlying mechanisms.

Clinical Trial Registration:

Registry: ClinicalTrials.gov; Name: Sleep Heart Health Study; URL: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/study/NCT00005275; Identifier: NCT00005275.

Citation:

Chen C, Guo Q, Cheng Y, Lan Y, Cheng D, Huang J. Naps and cardiovascular disease risk in different age and sex groups: evidence from a large community cohort. J Clin Sleep Med. 2024;20(8):1339–1348.