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(Ivanhoe Newswire) Women who get less sleep are more likely to have higher levels of biomarkers linked to heart disease.
According to British researchers who followed more than 4,600 people in their mid-30s, women who reported sleeping seven hours a night had higher levels of IL-6 than those who reported sleeping eight hours. Those sleeping five hours or less had higher levels of hs-CRP. The findings held true even after the investigators adjusted the results to take other factors influencing sleep into account.
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No such relationships between the biomarkers and sleep were found in men.
The researchers believe the study adds to the evidence linking sleep and heart disease, and also points out significant differences in the way sleep duration affects cardiovascular risk between the sexes.
So, do men escape the ill effects of poor sleep? No, report the investigators. Overall, the study found poorer health status and lifestyle profiles for both men and women who slept five hours a night or less. On the other end of the spectrum both men and women who slept for nine hours or more were more likely to be in poorer health.
Seven to eight hours of sleep per night appears to be optimal, conclude the researchers.
SOURCE: SLEEP, published online July 1, 2009
This article was reported by Ivanhoe.com, who offers Medical Alerts by e-mail every day of the week. To subscribe, go to: http://www.ivanhoe.com/newsalert/.
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