Background: Hypertension is a primary risk factor for cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. A number of studies have suggested that sleep duration play an important role in the development of hypertension. Hypertension in young and middle-aged individuals is characterized by low awareness and treatment rates, increasing the risk of adverse events. To further elucidate the relationship between sleep duration and hypertension risk in young and middle-aged individuals, we conducted a meta-analysis.
Methods: This study searched PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library from January 2003 to November 5, 2023. Data analysis was performed using STATA 17. Using Q test and I2-statistic, heterogeneity test for the included studies was conducted. Potential small-sample effects were evaluated based on the symmetry of funnel plots, and publication bias in included studies was evaluated using Egger's test.
Results: Data analysis of sleep duration was conducted for 16 studies, which revealed that both long sleep duration (OR, 1.10; 95 % CI, 1.05-1.15) and short sleep duration (RR: 1.10, 95 % CI: 1.05 to 1.15) were associated with hypertension in young and middle-aged individuals, particularly in Asian populations.
Conclusions: This meta-analysis revealed an association between sleep duration (short [<7 h] and long [≥9 h]) and the development of hypertension in young and middle-aged adults, particularly in Asian populations. Sleep is a behavior that can be modified. Clinicians and health professionals should be encouraged to intensify efforts to promote healthy sleep for all and reduce the occurrence of high blood pressure in young and middle-aged individuals.
