Nature Medicine: poor quality sleep increases risk of six diseases

Researchers from Yale University in the USA have found a correlation between poor quality sleep and the risk of atrial fibrillation, depression, obesity, anxiety disorder, hyperlipidemia and hypertension. The results of the study are published in Nature Medicine.

The study involved 6,785 adult volunteers with an average age of 50.2 years. At the first stage, the scientists collected information about the participants, recorded their height and weight, and analyzed the medical history of each volunteer. This was followed by a period of participant observation.

More than four subjects wore Fitbit devices on their wrists, allowing them to determine the heart rate and the nature of human movements during sleep. The gadgets were also used by scientists to track the process of changing sleep phases.

After the time allotted for observation, the scientists compared the data on the quality of night rest with the health indicators of the subjects. The results showed that dysregulation of the deep and REM phases of sleep correlated with an increased risk of atrial fibrillation, a heart rhythm disorder. There was also a correlation between irregular sleep and depression, obesity, anxiety disorder, hyperlipidemia (excessive accumulation of fat-like molecules in the blood) and hypertension.

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