Irregular sleep provokes atherosclerosis

Atherosclerosis is a chronic disease that affects arteries throughout the body. In this pathology, fatty deposits, mainly cholesterol, form in the inner lining of the arteries. This leads to a narrowing of the lumen of the vessels, which can end in their complete blockage.

A new study by the University has shown that irregular sleep can increase the risk of atherosclerosis in older people.

People who go to bed and wake up at different times during the week and those who sleep an inconsistent number of hours each night are at greater risk of atherosclerosis, a study has found. This condition is characterized by the accumulation of fatty deposits on the walls of arteries known as plaques.

Participants whose sleep patterns changed for more than two hours a week were 40% more likely to suffer from a significant amount of hardened plaque in the arteries. In addition, they had a 12% increased risk of developing fatty plaques in the arteries of the neck, and were almost twice as likely to have abnormal atherosclerosis test results.

People who slept irregularly for more than 90 minutes a week were 43% more likely to have high coronary artery calcium than those who slept 30 minutes a week.

This study was one of the first to establish an association between irregular duration and sleep time and the development of atherosclerosis. Poor sleep, including poor quality, abnormal duration and fragmentation, has already been associated with various cardiovascular diseases, high blood pressure, obesity and type 2 diabetes.