Semin Respir Crit Care Med
DOI: 10.1055/a-2591-5462
Review Article

Sleep and Cardiovascular Health

Lucía Pinilla
1   Adelaide Institute for Sleep Health and FHMRI Sleep Health, College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University, Adelaide, Australia
2   Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Respiratorias (CIBERES), Madrid, Spain
,
Irene Cano-Pumarega
2   Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Respiratorias (CIBERES), Madrid, Spain
3   Sleep Unit, Pneumology Department, Hospital Universitario Ramón y Cajal, Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria (IRYCIS), Madrid, Spain
,
Manuel Sánchez-de-la-Torre
2   Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Respiratorias (CIBERES), Madrid, Spain
4   Department of Nursing, Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy, Faculty of Physiotherapy and Nursing, Group of Precision Medicine in Chronic Diseases, Hospital Nacional de Parapléjicos, IDISCAM, University of Castilla-La Mancha, Toledo, Spain
› Author Affiliations
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Abstract

Sleep is recognized as a foundational pillar of health, essential for maintaining nearly all vital processes, and a crucial component of cardiovascular function. In recent years, there has been a paradigm shift to conceptualize sleep health as a combination of multiple domains, including duration, timing, quality, variability/regularity, habits/behaviors, and disordered sleep. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the current evidence linking the multifaceted elements that contribute to healthy sleep with cardiovascular and blood pressure-related outcomes. The reviewed literature indicates a strong relationship between sleep and cardiovascular health. However, the specific pathophysiological mechanisms that bridge the various dimensions of sleep with cardiovascular outcomes remain elusive. Given the global burden of cardiovascular disease, understanding the interplay between sleep and cardiovascular health has important implications for both individual and population health. Sustained efforts to move beyond a focus on discrete domains of sleep are essential to fully understand this complex and potentially bidirectional relationship. Promoting healthy sleep patterns and optimizing the management and treatment of sleep disorders are key steps toward developing more comprehensive strategies for reducing cardiovascular risk. Integrating sleep health into routine clinical care is identified as a critical opportunity to enhance cardiovascular disease prevention and management, particularly among vulnerable and high-risk populations.



Publication History

Article published online:
21 May 2025

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