Sleep Quality is associated with Central Arterial Stiffness in Postmenopausal Women: A Cross-sectional Pilot Study

This study aimed to investigate the associations between sleep quality and arterial stiffness in healthy postmenopausal women. A total of 31 healthy postmenopausal women aged between 50 and 74 years participated in this study. Objectively and subjectively measured sleep quantity and quality were concomitantly obtained by a waist-worn actigraphy, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) questionnaire, and daily sleep diary. Carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (cfPWV), brachial-ankle PWV (baPWV), and femoral-ankle PWV (faPWV) were measured as indices of arterial stiffness. Based on the PSQI score, the participants were divided into good (PSQI < 5.5; n = 21) and poor (PSQI > 5.5; n = 10) sleepers. Self-reported sleep duration was significantly longer in poor sleepers than in good sleepers. However, there was no difference in total sleep time measured by actigraphy between the two groups. Additionally, sleep latency and wake after sleep onset significantly increased, and sleep efficiency significantly decreased in poor sleepers than in good sleepers. The cfPWV and baPWV were significantly higher in poor sleepers than in good sleepers, even after adjustment for risk factors (i.e., age, blood pressure, and physical activity), but no difference in faPWV. These results suggest that decreased sleep quality is associated with an increase in central arterial stiffness in postmenopausal women.