Associations of sleep duration and quality with incident cardiovascular disease, cancer, and mortality: a prospective cohort study of 407,500 UK biobank participants

Few studies have investigated the associations of sleep duration and sleep quality with incident cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), cancer, and mortality in the same large population. This study aimed at estimating the independent risk factors of long or short sleep durations and several typical characteristics of poor sleep quality for incident CVDs, cancer, and mortality. In this prospective cohort study, 407 500 individuals were enrolled. Cox proportional hazards models were used to calculate the adjusted hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals (HR, 95%CI) of associations of sleep duration and quality with incident CVDs, cancer, and mortality. Compared with the sleep duration of 7 h, sleep duration of ≤5 h and ≥9 h were both associated with higher risk of all-cause mortality (HR = 1.25, 95% CI: 1.16–1.34 and HR = 1.30, 95% CI: 1.22–1.38, respectively), CVD mortality (HR = 1.27, 95% CI: 1.09–1.49 and HR = 1.32, 95% CI: 1.16–1.50, respectively), and CVD incidence (HR = 1.23, 95% CI: 1.16–1.31 and HR = 1.08, 95% CI: 1.02–1.15, respectively). Additionally, long sleep duration (≥9 h) was associated with a higher risk of cancer mortality (HR = 1.19, 95% CI: 1.10–1.30) and cancer incidence (HR = 1.08, 95% CI: 1.04–1.12). Moreover, CVD incidence was significantly associated with snoring, insomnia and narcolepsy, increasing the risk by 7%, 26%, and 20%, respectively. Long sleep durations may substantially increase the risk of mortality and morbidity. Snoring, insomnia, and narcolepsy were independent risk factors for incident CVD. •Few studies focused relations of sleep duration and quality with incident CVDs, cancer, and mortality within the same cohort.•Long sleep durations may substantially increase the risk of mortality and morbidity.•Snoring, insomnia, and narcolepsy were independent risk factors for the incidence of CVD.•Investigation of improvements in sleep to decrease mortality and morbidity may be warranted.