Poor sleep, low physical activity decrease survival in cardiovascular disease, cancer: Study

The researchers categorized sleep into healthy, intermediate and poor with an established composited sleep score of chronotype, sleep duration, insomnia, snoring and daytime sleepiness.

12 physical activity–sleep combinations were also derived accordingly. Mortality risks were ascertained for all-cause, total cardiovascular disease (CVD), cardiovascular disease subtypes (coronary heart disease, haemorrhagic stroke, ischaemic stroke), as well as total cancer and lung cancer.

The following results were drawn-

1. After an average follow-up of 11.1 years, sleep scores showed dose-response associations with all-cause, total CVD and ischaemic stroke mortality.
2. Compared with high physical activity-healthy sleep group (reference), the no moderate-to-vigorous physical activity-poor sleep group had the highest mortality risks for all-cause (HR (95% CIs), (1.57 (1.35 to 1.82)), total CVD (1.67 (1.27 to 2.19)), total cancer (1.45 (1.18 to 1.77)) and lung cancer (1.91 (1.30 to 2.81))).
3. The deleterious associations of poor sleep with all outcomes, except for stroke, was amplified with lower physical activity.

As a result, the authors concluded that the detrimental associations of poor sleep with all-cause and cause-specific mortality risks are exacerbated by low physical activity, suggesting likely synergistic effects.

They also inferred that the study supports the need to target both behaviours in research and clinical practice.

doi: 10.1136/bjsports-2021-104046