Circadian rhythms play a critical role in biological regulation, and their disruption is associated with the pathophysiology of chronic diseases. Previous research has been limited by cross-sectional designs and subjective sleep surveys, which are prone to bias and fail to capture longitudinal patterns. Furthermore, “snapshot” clinical BP readings fail to capture long-term “visit-to-visit” variability, which reflects hemodynamic instability. This study aims to address these gaps by utilizing the UK Biobank to integrate accelerometer data for sleep metrics and long-term medical records to capture repeated blood pressure measurements.
To quantify the impact of circadian disruption on chronic disease incidence and mortality, we will analyze two datasets:
1. Long-term BPV (2000-2025): We will analyze longitudinal BP records from 2000 to 2025 to determine whether visit-to-visit blood pressure variability is an independent predictor of chronic disease.
2. Sleep and BP Variability (2013-2025): We will also assess the joint association of objectively measured sleep patterns, via Axivity AX3 accelerometer data, and visit-to-visit blood pressure variability on the risk of incident chronic and cardiovascular disease.
Our findings will clarify the causal association between sleep quality and blood pressure variability in chronic diseases and mortality. This evidence could support public health recommendations prioritizing sleep quality and reduced BPV alongside traditional targets, such as lowering mean blood pressure.
