Sleep: The silent hero in cardiometabolic health.

Abstract

The essential role of sleep in overall health is increasingly recognized, yet it remains underemphasized in both clinical and public health contexts. Despite extensive research linking poor sleep health to chronic conditions such as cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and cognitive decline, sleep health is not routinely assessed or integrated into standard care practices. Sleep problems, including insomnia, sleep apnea, and poor sleep quality, are prevalent globally, affecting over 30 % of the population and contributing to significant public health burdens like cardiometabolic disease, mental health disorders and multimorbidity. The economic implications are substantial, with insufficient sleep imposing significant societal and financial costs worldwide. Recognizing this, recent initiatives like the American Heart Association's inclusion of sleep in the Life's Essential 8 framework highlight the importance of sleep in cardiometabolic health. Integrating sleep into clinical and public health strategies is crucial, due to the wide-ranging impact of sleep on cardiometabolic health. Social, environmental, and demographic factors also play significant roles in sleep health, with lower socioeconomic groups and women often experiencing poorer sleep, further exacerbating health disparities. Adopting a life course approach and promoting healthy sleep behaviors early in life are essential for mitigating long-term cardiometabolic risks. Effective evidence-based strategies for improving sleep behaviors and cardiometabolic health, beyond addressing sleep disorders, include prioritizing sleep hygiene, managing stress, promoting physical activity, maintaining a healthy diet, and reducing substance use, all of which contribute to overall well-being. In conclusion, incorporating sleep health into routine cardiometabolic risk stratification, prevention, and management is essential for improving overall health outcomes.