(Ivanhoe Newswire) – Women who get less sleep are more likely to have
higher levels of biomarkers linked to heart disease.
According to British researchers who followed more than 4,600 people in their
mid-30s, women who reported sleeping seven hours a night had higher levels of
IL-6 than those who reported sleeping eight hours. Those sleeping five hours or
less had higher levels of hs-CRP. The findings held true even after the
investigators adjusted the results to take other factors influencing sleep into
account.
No such relationships between the biomarkers and sleep were found in men.
The researchers believe the study adds to the evidence linking sleep and heart
disease, and also points out significant differences in the way sleep duration
affects cardiovascular risk between the sexes.
So, do men escape the ill effects of poor sleep? No, report the investigators.
Overall, the study found poorer health status and lifestyle profiles for both
men and women who slept five hours a night or less. On the other end of the
spectrum both men and women who slept for nine hours or more were more likely to
be in poorer health.
Seven to eight hours of sleep per night appears to be optimal, conclude the
researchers.
SOURCE: SLEEP, published online July 1, 2009
