Sleep in cardiovascular disease

Sleep has important physiological functions in maintaining a healthy metabolism. Aberrations in sleep such as shortened sleep duration and irregular sleep patterns along with undiagnosed and untreated sleep disorders can contribute to heightened cardiovascular risk. Importantly, poor sleep quantity and quality is increasingly pervasive. With increases in obesity and an aging population, sleep disorders are also more prevalent. This article highlights the detrimental effects of altered sleep on cardiovascular health. Evidence from observational and experimental studies linking different aspects of sleep with cardiovascular risk are presented. Lastly, potential sleep targeted cardiovascular risk mitigation strategies are discussed.