Elevated oxidative stress biomarkers in adults with segmented sleep patterns.

STUDY OBJECTIVES: To investigate the association between different sleep patterns and inflammatory and oxidative stress biomarkers in adults.

METHODS: A total of 321 consented adults who fulfilled the inclusion criteria were recruited in this cross sectional study. The inclusion criteria were mainly based on age of 18-59 years of apparently healthy adults. To identify sleep patterns, participants were requested to wear the actigraphy for one week for 24- hours a day. Fasting blood was collected from each participant at day 8. The blood serum was analyzed for inflammatory and oxidative stress biomarkers. Sleep patterns were defined as monophasic (one episode of night sleep) bi-phasic (two episodes of sleep; night and afternoon siesta) and polyphasic sleep pattern (three or more sleep episodes).

RESULTS: There was no correlation between night sleep duration, total sleep in 24-hours and napping with inflammatory and oxidative stress biomarkers; high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), malondialdehyde (MDA), total glutathione (GSH) and basal oxidisability status (BOS). Actigraphy reports showed three sleep patterns in this cohort, monophasic (24.3%), biphasic-napping (45.2%) and polyphasic (30.5%). Individuals with segmented sleep patterns were significantly associated with oxidative stress biomarkers. Polyphasic sleep pattern was significantly associated with higher BOS (P-value =0.023), while biphasic sleep pattern showed higher MDA (P-value=0.036) as compared to monophasic sleep pattern. Total GSH was significantly higher in monophasic sleepers (P-value =0.046). There was no difference in serum hs-CRP among all sleep patterns.

CONCLUSIONS: Segmented sleep in polyphasic and biphasic sleep patterns are associated with higher serum MDA and BOS in particular. Further studies are recommended on the cardiometabolic impact of oxidative stress biomarkers in individual with segmented sleep.