How 4 types of sleeping patterns may impact long-term health
I don’t think it needs to be said how important sleep is to us. If it wasn’t why would we need to spend significant time unconscious each day? Past research has indicated how poor sleep patterns and lack of sleep can contribute to a number of metabolic conditions such as cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity among others. But we all sleep differently and how might different sleep patterns impact risk to long term health.
Researchers from Pennsylvania State University sought to identify distinct sleep health phenotypes in adults, examine transitions in sleep health phenotypes over time and subsequently relate these to the risk of chronic conditions. The team collected data from 3700 participants of the Midlife study in the US over 2 timepoints 10 years apart. Participants self-reported on sleep health (regularity, satisfaction, alertness, efficiency, duration) and the number and type of chronic conditions.
Findings
The researchers were able to identify four different sleep patterns:
Good sleepers who have the best sleeping habits across all data points
Nappers who are mostly good sleepers, but take daytime naps frequently
Weekend catch-up sleepers who have irregular sleep on weekdays and slept longer on weekends and holidays
Insomnia sleepers who have sleeping issues such as taking a long time to fall asleep, short sleep durations, and increased tiredness during the day
Surprisingly, the researchers reported more than half of the study participants fell into the insomnia sleepers or nappers groups.
In one respect the findings were probably as you’d expect, particularly in regard to insomnia sleepers, but maybe the extent of the risk was quite shocking. So too were the findings in relation to nappers.
Insomnia sleepers at both timepoints were at 72-188% higher risk for cardiovascular disease, diabetes, depression, and frailty.
Being a napper at any timepoint related to increased risks for diabetes, cancer, and frailty.
Being a weekend catch-up sleeper was not associated with chronic conditions.
The research findings not only indicate the heightened risk of chronic conditions involved in suboptimal sleep health phenotypes, (mainly insomnia sleepers) but also the need to raise awareness of the significance of sleep to our health.
If you want or need to improve your sleep health then take a look at our previous posts at the beginning of the year when we shared a number of tips and advice whilst completing the Shift sleep challenge.