Relationship of sleep pattern and snoring with chronic disease: findings from a nationwide population-based survey

Abstract

Objectives: To investigate the association of total sleep time and presence or absence of snoring with chronic disease among the Bangladeshi adult population.

Design: Cross-sectional survey.

Setting: Urban and rural Bangladesh.

Participants: A total of 12,338 men and women aged ≥35 years.

Measurements: Total sleep time was considered as the total hours of sleep in 24 hours. Furthermore, sleep time was categorized into <7, 7-9, and >9 hours according to National Sleep Foundation (2015) guidelines. Self-reported snoring history was captured and corroborated with their respective sleep partner/spouse in more than 80% cases. Registered physician-diagnosed current and/or previous cases of hypertension, diabetes, coronary heart disease, cancer, stroke, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and any other chronic conditions were counted.

Results: Overall prevalence of at least 1 chronic disease in our study population was around 18%: men (15.4%) and women (20.0%). Hypertension has the highest prevalence (overall: 12.7%, men: 12.2%, women: 15%) followed by diabetes (4.9%), coronary heart diseases (3.2%), stroke (1.8%), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (0.9%), and cancer (any type: 0.1%). Sleep pattern and snoring are significantly associated with all individual chronic disease except cancer. Sociodemographic, behavioral, and lifestyle variables were adjusted, and inadequate total sleep time (<7 hours) and snoring (yes/no) showed significant association with chronic disease status (risk ratio = 1.11, 95% confidence interval 1.00-1.22 and risk ratio = 1.20, 95% confidence interval 1.11-1.29, respectively).

Conclusion: Inadequate sleep and snoring are independently associated with chronic disease in Bangladeshi adult population and perhaps elsewhere.

Keywords: Epidemiology of chronic noncommunicable diseases; Global health; Sleep.