Understanding the relationship between sleep and cardiovascular disease in low-income South African adults

PhD candidate: Philippa Forshaw

Poor sleep quality, including insufficient duration and sleep disruption, has been associated with both long- and short-term poor health outcomes, such as an increased risk for cardiovascular disease. The purpose of this study is to measure habitual sleep in men and women living in a low-income neighbourhood to determine the extent to which these sleep characteristics are associated with cardiovascular disease risk. We further wish to determine to what extent this is mediated by nocturnal blood pressure dipping.