Relation between self-reported sleep duration and arterial stiffness: a cross-sectional study of middle-aged Japanese civil servants

Abstract

Objectives: The aim of this study is to examine the relationship between self-reported sleep duration and arterial stiffness in a large-scale Japanese study.

Design: Cross-sectional study.

Setting: Sapporo City, Hokkaido, Japan.

Participants: Local government employees aged 35-62 years, who underwent annual health checkups from April 2003 to March 2004. After excluding those with incomplete data, data from 4,268 employees (males: 3,410) participants were analyzed.

Interventions: N/A.

Measurements and results: Brachial-ankle pulse-wave velocity (baPWV) was investigated as an indicator of arterial stiffness. We used a self-administered questionnaire, which included items on daily sleep duration, lifestyle factors, and occupational factors. Sleep duration was classified into 5 categories; " ≤ 5 h," "6 h," "7 h," "8 h," and " ≥ 9 h." Results of multiple linear regression analysis after fully adjusting the model revealed that subjects with ≥ 9 h of daily sleep had significantly elevated baPWV values compared with the reference group with 7 h of sleep. Stratified analyses by sex showed that there was a significant association among male subjects only.

Conclusions: Daily sleep duration ≥ 9 h was found to be associated with elevated values of baPWV. This suggests that there is an association between long sleep duration and arterial stiffness.

Keywords: Brachial-ankle pulse-wave velocity; Daily sleep duration; arterial stiffness; cardiovascular disease.