Is sleep duration a risk factor for stroke?

Abstract

A total of 50 to 70 million Americans have a sleep or circadian disorder, with widespread consequences for health and safety.1 Sleep health has become a national priority and a goal of the Healthy People 2020 program.2 Observational and experimental studies demonstrate that poor sleep can lead to adverse health consequences.2,3 In particular, epidemiologic studies demonstrate associations between short sleep (≤5-6 hours) and long sleep (≥8-9 hours) durations with increased cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, compared to 7-8 hours of sleep.