Naps and cardiovascular disease risk in different age and sex groups: evidence from a large community cohort.

Abstract

This study examined the relationship between naps and cardiovascular disease (CVD) events or death in different age and sex groups. A total of 3069 participants stratified by age (<65, 65-74, and ≥75 years old) and sex, underwent Cox regression analysis to assess nap's impact on CVD risk. Restricted cubic spline plots (RCS) were used for dose-response relationships. Significant age-stratified interactions were found when exploring the associations between nap frequency or duration and CVD events (P interaction = 0.001, 0.036 respectively). Individuals younger than 65 years with higher nap frequency or longer nap duration had a significantly increased risk of CVD events (P < 0.001, P = 0.001 respectively). The age group of 65-74 years showed significant associations between CVD events and nap frequency or nap duration (P = 0.017, 0.016 respectively), together with nap duration and CVD deaths (P = 0.008). In the subgroup of females aged 65-74, significant associations were found between nap frequency or duration and CVD events (P = 0.006, 0.002 respectively). Nap frequency or duration was also significantly associated with CVD deaths (P =0.005, 0.010 respectively). This study underscores a noteworthy correlation between a higher frequency or longer duration of daytime nap and an increased susceptibility to CVD among individuals aged 65-74 years, particularly in females. However, further research is needed to better understand the underlying mechanisms.