The mediating role of sleep disturbance in the relationship between depression and cardiovascular disease

Background Studies suggest that both depression and disrupted sleep disturbance are linked to cardiovascular disease (CVD). However, the precise role of sleep disturbance in the connection between depression and CVD is poorly understood. Therefore, we sought to examine the associations among these factors and further explore the mediating role of sleep disturbance in the association between depression and CVD. Methods This study included data from 29,831 adults (≥20 years old). Multifactorial logistic regression analyses were conducted to examine the relationships among depression, sleep disturbance, and CVD. Additionally, bootstrap tests were used to investigate whether the association between depression and CVD was mediated by sleep disturbance. Results Our research showed that individuals who experienced depression or sleep disturbance had a notably greater likelihood of developing CVD than those who did not have these issues (depression: OR: 2.21, 95% CI=1.96–2.49; sleep disturbance: OR: 1.74, 95% CI=1.6–1.9). Even after adjusting for potential confounders, depression was still positively associated with the risk of sleep disturbance (OR: 4.07, 95% CI=3.73–4.44). Furthermore, sleep disturbance significantly mediated the association between depression and CVD, with a mediating effect of 18.1%. Conclusion Our study demonstrated that depression, sleep disturbance, and CVD are interrelated. The increased risk of CVD among patients with depression may be attributed to the mediating role of sleep disturbance. This finding underscores the importance of interventions focused on sleep disturbances as a means to address the connection between depression and CVD.