Irregular Sleep Patterns Linked to Increased Risk of Atrial Fibrillation, reveals study
A new study published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology showed that long naps throughout the day and sleeping for longer than the usual 6 to 8 hours at night are linked to an increased risk of atrial fibrillation (AF).
The most prevalent kind of arrhythmia, atrial fibrillation (AF), is linked to a worse quality of life as well as a higher risk of heart failure, stroke, and death. Although the exact origins of AF are unknown, it is thought to be caused by a complex interaction between environmental and genetic variables. Thus, this study evaluated the relationship between the incidence of atrial fibrillation in a Mediterranean population and the duration of naps during the day and sleep at night.
Almost, 20,827 women who were free of AF at baseline participated in the prospective cohort study of Spanish university graduates (The SUN Project). 91% of participants were retained after a median follow-up of 15 years. A cardiologist followed a predetermined strategy to confirm incident AF patients, and baseline measurements of daytime nap and nighttime sleep duration were made.
A total of 163 AF incident instances were found during follow-up. The participants with lengthy naps (≥30 min/day) had a 62% greater incidence of AF (adjusted HR= 1.62; 95% CI: 1.10, 2.39) than those with short naps (<30 min/day). There was no discernible difference between those who took a brief nap and the individuals who did not (adjusted HR = 1.32; 95% CI: 0.91, 1.93).
In the same model, those who slept for less than 6 hours a day or more than 8 hours a day were more likely to experience AF (adjusted HR = 1.89; 95% CI: 1.10, 3.23) than those who slept for 6 to 8 hours a day. With a 3-fold greater risk (adjusted HR = 3.19; 95% CI: 1.30, 7.79), participants who took both lengthy naps (≥30 min/day) and insufficient nocturnal sleep (<6 h/day or >8 h/day) had the highest risk of AF.
Overall, knowing the risk factors for AF is essential for prevention and therapy because it is the most prevalent arrhythmia and is linked to major health consequences like stroke, heart failure, and death. These results draw attention to the possible cardiovascular hazards linked to sleep patterns, providing information for both individual lifestyle changes and public health recommendations aimed at lowering the risk of AF.
Reference:
Díaz-Gutiérrez, J., Goni, L., Martínez-González, M. Á., Barón-Esquivias, G., Bazal, P., de la Fuente-Arrillaga, C., Barrio-López, M. T., Bes-Rastrollo, M., & Ruiz-Canela, M. (2025). Sleeping and the risk of atrial fibrillation: a prospective study in the SUN cohort. European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, zwaf377. https://doi.org/10.1093/eurjpc/zwaf377
