Apparently healthy people without a history of sleep disorders who experience sleep disruption show increased clotting tendencies similar to those seen in patients with underlying sleep disorders and in people under long-term stress, according to an article in the March issue of CHEST. Subjective sleep disturbances have been linked with increased risk for coronary artery disease.

“In previous work, we have found that sleep disruption was linked to pro-coagulant activity in patients with sleep apnea, and in patients facing harrowing long-term stress. Now, we have seen the same pattern of findings even in healthy normal subjects,” said Joel E. Dimsdale, MD, Professor of Psychiatry at University of California San Diego.

Full-night polysomnography, a sleep study that involves recording brain waves and airflow at the nose and mouth, was performed in 135 men and women, average age 36 years, who had no history of sleep disorders.

Fasting morning plasma was tested for von Willebrand Factor antigen, soluble tissue factor antigen, d-dimer, and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 antigen, all of which are considered blood markers for a pro-coagulant state.

Researchers found a parallel correlation between higher levels of spontaneous sleep disruption and higher levels of the pro-coagulant markers. After statistical analysis to adjust for factors such as age, gender, body mass index, blood pressure, and smoking history, the correlation remained.

“Sleep disruption needs to be taken seriously,” said Dimsdale. “It is known that certain forms of sleep disruption such as obstructive sleep apnea convey extensive cardiovascular risk. We now know that sleep disruption is a potential factor in heart disease even in the average person.”