Age- and Body Weight-dependent Association Between Sleep Duration and Hypertension in US Adults: Findings from the 2014-2017 National Health Interview Survey

Objectives: Previous studies have confirmed the relationship between sleep duration and hypertension. However, there are unanswered questions on how this relationship is affected by age and body mass index (BMI). This study examined the association between sleep duration and hypertension in US adults and evaluated interaction by age and BMI.

Design: Nationwide, population-based, cross-sectional survey.

Setting: National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), 2014 to 2017.

Participants: Adult participants aged 18 years or older (n = 130,139).

Measurements: Sleep duration, hypertension, age, and BMI status were assessed based on self-reported survey responses. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for sleep duration-hypertension associations were estimated by logistic regression, adjusting for potential confounders.

Results: The proportion of participants who reported sleeping less than 7 hours (short sleepers) and more than 9 hours (long sleepers) per night was 32% and 4%, respectively. In adjusted analysis, short sleepers had higher odds of hypertension (OR: 1.54, 95% CI: 1.10-2.17). Although not statistically significant, long sleepers also had higher odds of hypertension (OR: 1.28, 95% CI: 0.80-2.05). In stratified analyses by age and BMI, the association between short sleep and hypertension was especially notable in adults aged 18-44 years (OR: 1.25, 95% CI: 1.16-1.35) and adults with normal weight (OR: 1.21, 95% CI: 1.11-1.33).

Conclusions: Short sleep is associated with increased odds of hypertension among American adults and this relationship is dependent on age and BMI.