Inside Duke Medicine
Women and the dangers of poor sleep
posted April 7th, 2008Duke researchers say they may have figured out why poor sleep does more harm to cardiovascular health in women than in men.
Their study, appearing online in the journal Brain, Behavior and Immunity, found that poor sleep is associated with greater psychological distress and higher levels of biomarkers associated with elevated risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes. They also found that these associations are significantly stronger in women than in men.
“This is the first empirical evidence that supports what we have observed about the role of gender and its effects upon sleep and health,” says Edward Suarez, an associate professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and the lead author of the study. “The study suggests that poor sleep may have more serious health consequences for women than for men.”