A new study links sleep irregularity with early precursors of heart disease in young adults with chronic anxiety. The study findings are published in the American Journal of Physiology-Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology. The study has been chosen as an APSselect for May.

The study results suggest that focusing on getting regular sleep, about the same amount each night, may help people with anxiety reduce their risk of developing heart disease later in life, according to researchers.

It is estimated that about 1 in 5 adults in the U.S. suffers from anxiety, with anxiety disorders being especially common in women and younger adults. Many people with anxiety report difficulty falling or staying asleep. Previous research has linked poor sleep patterns with a higher risk of heart disease, the leading cause of death worldwide.

To understand the possible role of sleep as a common denominator between anxiety and heart disease, the researchers assessed sleep patterns and markers of cardiovascular health in 28 young adults with chronic anxiety.

For seven consecutive days, participants kept a sleep diary and wore an accelerometer that tracked when they were asleep, at rest, or physically active. At the end of the week, researchers assessed various markers of cardiovascular health, including blood pressure control, blood vessel functioning, and oxidative stress.

The results showed that people with irregular sleep patterns were more likely to have poor blood pressure control, worse blood vessel functioning, and higher oxidative stress—all considered to be precursors of cardiovascular disease—compared to those with more regular sleep. Irregular sleep patterns can include night-to-night variation in the total amount of sleep as well as variation in the proportion of time spent sleeping out of the total time spent in bed, known as sleep efficiency.

“These results suggest that sleep irregularity in individuals with chronic anxiety may play a critical role in the development of cardiovascular disease in this population,” the authors wrote.

The researchers found no correlation between cardiovascular health markers and sleep quality, which includes overall sleep efficiency and the total amount of sleep. This suggests that the amount of variability night to night matters more than the overall amount of sleep.

There were also no differences observed in sleep variables or heart disease precursors based on the severity of anxiety, time since anxiety onset, amount of daytime physical activity, or the use of birth control methods. Most study participants were women and had experienced moderate to severe anxiety for over a decade, on average.

Researchers cautioned that the study design did not allow them to determine cause and effect. Sleep irregularity could result from anxiety, or it may act as a heart disease risk factor independent of chronic anxiety. In either case, taking steps to support regular sleep can be an important way to improve health and well-being.

Read the full article, “Exploring the link between sleep patterns and early cardiovascular disease markers in young adults with chronic anxiety.” It is highlighted as one of this month’s “best of the best” as part of the American Physiological Society’s APSSelect program. Read this month’s selected research articles.

Note to journalists: To schedule an interview with a member of the research team, please contact APS Media Relations or call 301.634.7314. Find more research highlights in our Newsroom. 

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