Sleep Disorders and Chronic Health Conditions
Reviewed by: HU Medical Review Board | Last reviewed: June 2020
Many chronic (long-term) health conditions can cause sleep problems or make an existing sleep disorder worse. In turn, poor sleep can lead to an increase in the symptoms of chronic disease. Here are a few of the medical conditions linked to sleep disorders:1-5
- Alzheimer’s
- Angina
- Asthma
- Arthritis
- Autoimmune disorders
- Cancer
- Chronic pain
- Depression and anxiety
- Diabetes
- Heartburn/gastroesophageal reflux (GERD)
- Heart disease
- High blood pressure
- Kidney disease
- Lung disease
- Menopause
- Obesity
- Parkinson’s disease
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Stroke
- Substance abuse
- Thyroid disorders
- Traumatic brain injury
Sometimes, the medicines taken for a long-term health condition aggravate insomnia or restless legs syndrome. Medicines that are known to make sleep problems worse include stimulants, antidepressants, steroids, and opioids.4
Chronic disease and sleep problems in the U.S.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) ties sleep problems to an increased risk of several long-term health conditions. This includes:6
- Diabetes
- Heart disease, including high blood pressure, stroke, arrhythmias, and hardening of the arteries
- Obesity
- Depression
Aging and sleep problems worldwide
A 2014 study looked at the link between sleep and medical issues in people over age 50 in 11 countries. The countries included Bangladesh, China, Finland, Ghana, India, Mexico, Poland, Russia, South Africa, Spain, and Vietnam.1
The idea was that older people are more likely to develop chronic diseases that impact sleep. This occurs at the same time that aging changes sleep patterns, making it harder to get good sleep.
The researchers found that angina, lung disease, and depression lead to sleep problems in all countries. After that, there were country-by-country differences:1
- Arthritis increased the risk of sleep problems everywhere but Mexico and South Africa.
- Asthma increased the risk of sleep problems in Finland, Spain, and India.
- Chronic lung disease increased the risk of sleep problems in Poland, Spain, Ghana, and South Africa.
- Diabetes increased the risk of sleep problems only in India.
The study also found that sleep problems tended to cluster in certain countries. In this case, Poland, India, and Russia showed the highest rates of sleep disorders.1
Treating the condition or the sleep problem?
Once, doctors thought that treating the health condition alone would improve sleep. Now, there is a growing understanding that treating sleep disorders can improve the symptoms of chronic illness.
For instance, people who do not get enough sleep do not process glucose as well, regardless of whether they have diabetes or not. People with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and sleep problems perform worse on breathing tests. And, sleep problems are known to decrease immunity and inflammation and increase worry.1