--- title: Does inconsistent sleep duration harm your heart health during your cycle? description: Yes, sleep variability is linked to cardiovascular risk markers even in young healthy women, though the connections differ depending on race and shift work st url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/variability-in-sleep-duration-and-biomarkers-of-cardiovascular-disease-across-2023/ --- - [Niyora](https://niyora.com/) - [Research](https://niyora.com/research/) - [Library](https://niyora.com/research/library/) - Does inconsistent sleep duration harm your heart health during your cycle? Cohort study, 2023 # Does inconsistent sleep duration harm your heart health during your cycle? Yes, sleep variability is linked to cardiovascular risk markers even in young healthy women, though the connections differ depending on race and shift work status. Moderate study design 250 healthy premenopausal women aged 18-44, New York 2005-2007 ## What they did 250 healthy premenopausal women aged 18-44 tracked sleep in daily diaries and had blood tests for cardiovascular markers at key points during their menstrual cycle. Researchers analyzed patterns in sleep consistency rather than just total hours. ## What they found Inconsistent sleep (variability in hours slept each night) was linked to lower LDL cholesterol in non-shift workers and non-White women. Skewed sleep patterns were linked to higher inflammation and lower total cholesterol. Very short or very long sleep bouts were linked to lower HDL (good cholesterol), but not to inflammation, LDL, or triglycerides. ## What it means for you Even young, healthy women's heart health markers can be affected by how much sleep varies from night to night during the cycle. This suggests that consistency in sleep timing matters for heart health. However, this study observed associations, so we cannot prove that sleep variability causes these changes. 250 women 18-44 age range 3 menstrual cycle phases measured ## About the study Original title Variability in Sleep Duration and Biomarkers of Cardiovascular Disease Across the Menstrual Cycle Authors Dunietz GL, Shedden K, Michels KA et al. Journal American journal of epidemiology Year 2023 Study design Cohort study Participants 250 What was tested None Open access Yes Read the paper [doi.org/10.1093/aje/kwad060](https://doi.org/10.1093/aje/kwad060) Original abstract Variability in sleep duration and cardiovascular health have been infrequently investigated, particularly among reproductive-age women. We examined these associations across the menstrual cycle among a cohort of 250 healthy premenopausal women, aged 18-44 years. The BioCycle study (New York, 2005-2007) collected cardiovascular biomarkers (serum high- and low-density lipoprotein (HDL, LDL), total cholesterol, triglycerides, and C-reactive protein (CRP)) at key time points along the menstrual cycle (follicular, ovulatory, and luteal phases). Women also recorded sleep duration in daily diaries. From these data, we computed L-moments, robust versions of location, dispersion, skewness, and kurtosis. We fitted linear mixed models with random intercepts and inverse probability weighting to estimate associations between sleep variability and cardiovascular biomarkers, accounting for demographic, lifestyle, health, and reproductive factors. Sleep dispersion (any deviation from mean duration) was associated with lower mean LDL for nonshift workers and non-White women. Skewed sleep duration was associated with higher mean CRP and lower mean total cholesterol. Sleep durations with extreme short and long bouts (kurtosis) were associated with a lower mean HDL, but not mean CRP, LDL, or triglycerides. Sleep duration modified associations between sleep dispersion and LDL, HDL, and total cholesterol. Even in young and healthy women, sleep duration variability could influence cardiovascular health. Reproduced under public-domain. ## Topics [Sleep and insomnia](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-sleep/)[Work and productivity](https://niyora.com/research/topics/life-area-work/) Research tells you what helps on average. Niyora helps on the day it hits. Calm down, see it another way, and decide what to say, with a PMS and PMDD app built by a doctor. ## Related studies Cohort study, 2024 Does psychological distress in adolescence predict menstrual symptoms in adulthood? Survey study, 2026 Does exercise help college women with period problems and mental health? Survey study, 2026 What lifestyle and work factors are linked to PMDD symptoms in Chinese nurses? Survey study, 2026 What factors are linked with period pain in teenage girls in Ethiopia? Survey study, 2026 How do pain, sleep quality, and appetite change across the menstrual cycle? Survey study, 2025 What behavioral symptoms of premenstrual syndrome are most common? Ask AI about this page Copy prompt ChatGPT ↗ Claude ↗ Perplexity ↗ Google AI Mode ↗ Grok ↗