Anxiety and Cardiovascular Symptoms: The Modulating Role of Insomnia

Abstract

Background: Anxiety and insomnia are associated with cardiovascular (CV) symptoms. We assessed whether the relation between anxiety and CV symptoms is modulated by insomnia. Methods: Independently living women (n = 1,440; mean age = 59.36 ± 6.53 years) were recruited by cluster sampling technique. We obtained data on demographic characteristics, health beliefs, access to health care, CV symptoms, sleep, stress and anxiety levels. Results: Overall, 56% of the sample reported insomnia; 46% reported CV symptoms, and 54% were highly anxious. There was a greater likelihood for highly anxious women and those experiencing insomnia to report CV symptoms (r_s = 0.31* and r_s = 0.32*, respectively). In logistic regression analysis, the adjusted odds ratios for reporting CV symptoms were 1.39 for patients with insomnia and 2.79 for those with anxiety. With control for insomnia, we observed a 3-fold reduction in the magnitude of the association between anxiety and CV symptoms (r_p = 0.09*). Stepwise adjustments for sociodemographic factors, CV risk markers, and factors anchoring health beliefs and access to health care showed lesser impact on the relationships. With simultaneous control for those covariates, the correlation was r_p = 0.13*; * p < 0.01. Conclusion: The association of CV symptoms with anxiety is partly accounted for by insomnia.

Frequent nocturnal awakening in children: prevalence, risk factors, and associations with subjective sleep perception and daytime sleepiness

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“…Accumulating studies demonstrated that the disruption and fragmentation of sleep were associated with a wide range of neurobehavioral and psychological impairments, including poor concentration, excessive daytime sleepiness and chronic fatigue, and predisposition to psychiatric morbidities [ 2 , 7 , 9 , 10 ]. Moreover, recent studies further revealed that insomnia may increase the risk of hypertension, cardiovascular symptoms, and type 2 diabetes [ 11 – 13 ].…”

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Sleep as a Potential Fundamental Contributor to Disparities in Cardiovascular Health

“…The availability of social support to overcome stressors that impact sleep is also important. Although not well studied, sleep is also likely to be influenced by psycho-social interactions within households, such as chaotic family routines, mother-child stress, the level of autonomy allowed and practiced by each family member, and poor sleep patterns of family members (69; 70; 147) --which may influence stress responses leading to increased arousal, a known mediator of disturbed sleep (123; 146). …”