Longitudinal study of the relationship between sleep duration and hypertension in Chinese adult residents (CHNS 2004-2011)

Abstract

Objective: To determine the associations between sleep duration and hypertension in Chinese adults.

Methods: This longitudinal study analyzed 9851 adults who had participated in at least two rounds of the CHNS (China Health and Nutrition Survey) during 2004-2011. Sleep duration was classified into ≤7, 8, and ≥9 h. Age, sex, residence location, education level, smoking, drinking alcohol, drinking tea, drinking coffee, activity level, and body mass index were adjusted as confounders in a generalized linear mixed model.

Results: The unadjusted analysis showed that compared with a normal sleep duration (8 h), the odds ratios (ORs) for those with short (≤7 h) and long (≥9 h) sleep durations were 1.24 and 1.17, respectively (95% confidence intervals [CIs] = 1.14-1.36 and 1.06-1.29). After adjusting for confounding factors, the effect of a short sleep duration on hypertension was still statistically significant, with an OR of 1.13 (95% CI = 1.04-1.24), while a long sleep duration no longer had a statistically significant effect.

Conclusions: A short sleep duration is an independent risk factor for adult hypertension, whereas a long sleep duration is not in Chinese adults. The prevalence of hypertension should be prevented and controlled by improving the sleep status of adults.

Keywords: Adult residents; China Health and Nutrition Survey; Hypertension; Longitudinal study; Sleep duration.