Sleep duration and its association with ambulatory blood pressure in a school-based, diverse sample of adolescents.
BACKGROUND
Evidence is accumulating that sleep duration is related to blood pressure (BP) and hypertensive status, but the strength of the association varies by age, and findings are inconsistent for adolescents. This cross-sectional study tested the hypothesis that sleep duration, both during the night and during naps, would be negatively associated with ambulatory systolic BP (SBP) and diastolic BP (DBP) measured over 24 hours in adolescents.


METHODS
In this ethnically diverse (37% non-Hispanic black, 31% Hispanic, 29% non-Hispanic white, 3% other), school-based sample of 366 adolescents aged 11-16 years, ambulatory BP was measured every 30 minutes for 24 hours on a school day; actigraphy was used to measure sleep duration. Covariables included demographic factors, anthropometric indices, physical activity, and position and location at the time of each BP measurement. Mixed models were used to test day and night sleep duration as predictors of 24-hour SBP and DBP, controlling for covariables.


RESULTS
The mean sleep duration was 6.83 (SD = 1.36) hours at night, and 7.23 (SD = 1.67) hours over 24 hours. Controlling for duration of sleep during the day and covariables, each additional hour of nighttime sleep was associated with lower SBP (-0.57; P < 0.0001); controlling for nighttime sleep duration and covariables, each additional hour of daytime sleep was associated with lower SBP (-0.73; P < 0.001) and lower DBP (-0.50; P < 0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
Longer sleep duration was significantly associated with lower ambulatory SBP and DBP in adolescents. The findings have potential implications for cardiovascular health in this age group.
School of Nursing, University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston, Texas; School of Public Health, University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston, Texas; janet.c.meininger@uth.tmc.edu.
Janet C
JC
Meininger
School of Nursing, University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston, Texas;
Martina R
MR
Gallagher
Medical School, University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston, Texas.
Mona A
MA
Eissa
School of Nursing, University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston, Texas;
Thong Q
TQ
Nguyen
School of Public Health, University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston, Texas;
Wenyaw
W
Chan
D000293:Adolescent; D044383:Black People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D018660:Blood Pressure Monitoring, Ambulatory; D002648:Child; D002940:Circadian Rhythm; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology; D058246:Prehypertension / Q000453:epidemiology; D012890:Sleep; D013781:Texas / Q000453:epidemiology; D044465:White People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D001741:Black or African American
actigraphy; adolescent; ambulatory blood pressure monitoring; blood pressure; hypertension; sleep.