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THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SLEEP REGULARITY AND ARTERIAL HEALTH IN HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of unhealthy sleep habits is linked to significant pathologies, especially cardiovascular events. Research suggests poor quality sleep and sleep irregularity may be linked to greater arterial stiffness in adults. However, little is known about the relationship between cardiovascular risk factors and sleep in adolescents. This cross-sectional study aims to investigate how sleep health affects blood pressure and arterial stiffness in high school seniors.METHODS: This sample includes 84 high school seniors (69% female, 18±1 years of age, Body Mass Index 24±5 kg/m2). Sleep health was assessed via five key dimensions using the SATED model: satisfaction, alertness, timing, efficiency, and duration. Sleep regularity, efficiency, and duration were measured via Actigraph GT9X Link accelerometers for 7 consecutive days. Sleep satisfaction was assessed through the 19-item Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). The pediatric Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System Sleep-Related Impairment (PROMIS-SRI) questionnaire was used to examine alertness. Carotid-femoral pulse-wave velocity (cfPWV) and blood pressure was measured using VICORDER® to determine arterial stiffness, systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), and mean arterial pressure (MAP). Multiple linear regression was used to evaluate relationships among variables with significance set at p<0.05.RESULTS: SBP (p=0.87), DBP (p=0.73), and MAP (p=0.93) was not significantly correlated with any sleep dimensions. Sleep satisfaction (p=0.50), efficiency (p=0.54), and duration (p=0.94) were not significantly correlated with cfPWV. However, sleep impairment (p=0.02) and sleep regularity (p=0.03) were negatively correlated with cfPWV.CONCLUSIONS: Greater sleep impairment and sleep regularity were associated with lower cfPWV. Individuals who maintain better sleep schedules may have lower arterial stiffness, indicated by lower cfPWV. Further analyses will be performed to explore the relationship between sleep health, cfPWV, SBP, DBP, and MAP.FUNDING: Funding for this project was provided by the National Heart, Lung, And Blood Institute of the National Institutes of Health under Award Number R15HL159650 and the Undergraduate Research Program at Elon University.

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