Key points from article :
Research examined the impact of unconscious wakefulness on a person’s risk of dying from heart disease or any cause.
Arousal burden is a normal part of sleep, but when accounts for a larger proportion of sleep it can become a problem.
Common triggers can be obstructive sleep apnea or noise.
Researchers examined sleep data from more than 8,000 men and women.
Participants, aged 64 to 83, were followed up for 6-11 years.
People with higher rates of arousal burden had a higher risk of death.
Women with an arousal burden of 6.5% or more of their night’s sleep had a 12.8% increased risk of death from cardiovascular disease.
Risk of dying from any cause was increased to 31.5% among women.
There was an increased risk for men but it was to a lesser extent.
“People will feel exhausted and tired in the morning because of their sleep fragmentation but will not be aware of the individual arousals," - Dominik Linz, co-lead researcher.
Study by the University of Adelaide published in the European Heart Journal.
