Sleep and CVD Part II: Gender Differences in the Association Between Short Sleep and CVD
In Part I, we explored the association between not getting enough sleep and the risk for a wide variety of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) and CVD-related outcomes. While not universal, a majority of studies report a negative association between sleep duration (how long you sleep) and CVD risk — the shorter the sleep, the greater one’s risk.
Most of these studies include both males and females in the study population, also often including cohorts of multi-ethnic individuals. This is a strength, as it enhances their generalizability to the population at large.
Both men and women are susceptible to the negative effects of sleep deprivation and insufficient sleep. However, an interesting area of research involves whether there are sex differences in the association of sleep and CVD.
Are men and women at equal risk…or does one sex experience a greater CVD burden resulting from insufficient sleep?
