Exploring the link between sleep patterns and early cardiovascular disease markers in young adults with chronic anxiety

Chronic anxiety is commonly associated with poor sleep patterns, which may contribute to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) through mechanisms like oxidative stress, vascular dysfunction, and poor blood pressure control. As sleep disturbances, particularly poor sleep quality and/or regularity, have been independently linked to CVD development, this study explored whether sleep quality/regularity in young adults with chronic anxiety is associated with early indicators of CVD risk, specifically oxidative stress, vascular function, and blood pressure control. Twenty-eight young (24 ± 4 yr) participants with a prior clinical diagnosis of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) or elevated GAD symptoms (GAD-7 > 10) had their sleep quality [total sleep time (TST) and sleep efficiency (SE)] and regularity [via TST/SE standard deviations (SD)] assessed for seven consecutive days. Various precursors to CVD development such as oxidative stress, brachial artery function, microvascular function, and blood pressure control [exercise pressor responses and cardiovagal baroreflex sensitivity (cBRS)] were also evaluated. Pearson's correlations were used to determine potential relationships between sleep quality/regularity and CVD precursors. Both sleep irregularity variables [SE-SD (<i>r</i> = 0.61; <i>P</i> < 0.01) and TST-SD (<i>r</i> = 0.39; <i>P</i> = 0.04)], but neither of the sleep quality variables, were positively correlated with oxidative stress. TST-SD alone was significantly associated with lower brachial artery function (<i>r</i> = -0.44; <i>P</i> = 0.02) and cBRS (<i>r</i> = 0.43; <i>P</i> = 0.02), with TST-SD median splits further highlighting these differences. The study found that irregular TST in individuals with chronic anxiety was significantly associated with higher oxidative stress, lower brachial artery function, and blunted blood pressure control (lower cBRS), key precursors of CVD.<b>NEW & NOTEWORTHY</b> This study examined the relationship between sleep irregularity and early cardiovascular disease (CVD) precursors in young adults with chronic anxiety. Key findings revealed that irregular total sleep time, rather than overall sleep quality, was significantly associated with greater oxidative stress, lower brachial artery function, and diminished blood pressure control. These results suggest that sleep irregularity in individuals with chronic anxiety may play a critical role in the development of CVD in this population.