The American Heart Association (AHA) has issued a scientific statement highlighting the critical role of sleep health in cardiometabolic health. This statement underscores the multidimensional aspects of sleep, including regularity, satisfaction, alertness, timing, efficiency, duration, disturbed sleep, and sleep architecture. The AHA emphasizes that sleep health is not merely about the number of hours slept but involves a complex interplay of various factors that contribute to overall well-being.
Health disparities significantly affect sleep health, particularly among historically underrepresented racial and ethnic groups. These communities are more likely to experience short sleep duration, poor sleep continuity, less satisfaction with sleep, irregular sleep patterns, and increased daytime sleepiness compared to non-Hispanic White individuals. Socioeconomic position also plays a role in these disparities, with lower-income individuals facing greater challenges in achieving optimal sleep health.
The statement reveals strong evidence linking inadequate sleep—both short and long durations—with various health issues such as obesity, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, coronary heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and stroke. Meta-analyses have shown associations between short sleep and conditions like metabolic syndrome, atrial fibrillation, and nondipping blood pressure, while long sleep is associated with arterial stiffness, stroke, and increased mortality from cardiovascular diseases.
The AHA calls for the medical and scientific communities to evaluate multiple facets of sleep health across the lifespan to better understand and address these disparities. By recognizing and addressing the unique sleep health challenges faced by minority communities, there is potential to improve overall cardiometabolic health outcomes.
See: “AHA Issues Statement on Sleep Health Related to Cardiometabolic Health” (May 9, 2025)
