Irregular sleep patterns and heart and metabolic health
The role of irregular sleep schedules as a ubiquitous marker of chronic circadian disruption in cardiometabolic disease development
This research looks at whether irregular sleep schedules raise the risk of high blood pressure, diabetes, and heart disease and whether keeping a regular sleep routine might lower that risk.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Brigham and Women's Hospital NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11143061 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
They'll analyze wearable sleep tracker data from large groups of people to measure how much people's sleep times vary. Using data from the UK Biobank and the Nurses' Health Study 3, they'll connect sleep irregularity to later cases of hypertension, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease and look for thresholds where risk increases. The team will check whether these links differ by age, sex, race/ethnicity, or other sleep traits like average duration or insomnia. They will also examine whether maintaining regular sleep schedules can counteract genetic risk for cardiometabolic disease.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults who have irregular sleep schedules or who are worried about their risk of hypertension, diabetes, or heart disease—especially those with a family history—are the most relevant group.
Not a fit: People whose cardiometabolic problems are driven mainly by non-sleep factors, those with advanced disease, or those not represented in the studied cohorts may not see direct benefit from these findings.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to clear sleep-timing guidance to help reduce risk of high blood pressure, diabetes, and heart disease.
How similar studies have performed: Prior studies in shift workers and smaller cohorts have linked circadian disruption to cardiometabolic issues, but large wearable-based, population studies like this are more recent and build on emerging evidence.
Where this research is happening
Boston, United States
- Brigham and Women's Hospital — Boston, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Redline, Susan S. — Brigham and Women's Hospital
- Study coordinator: Redline, Susan S.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.