Arrhythmias & electrophysiology

Sleeping and the risk of atrial fibrillation: a prospective study in the SUN cohort

Eur J Prev CardiolPublished Prospective cohort study

Authors' conclusion

Prolonged daytime naps and inadequate night sleep duration were significantly associated with a higher risk of AF in a Mediterranean cohort.

Study context

Population
Spanish university graduates free of atrial fibrillation (AF) at baseline (SUN Project)retention 91%
Participants
20,827 participants
Exposure
Daytime napping and night sleep duration vs reference sleep patterns
Outcome
Incident AF, confirmed by a cardiologist
Follow-up
Median 15 years

Main finding

As reported in the abstract

Incident AF (163 cases) · median 15 years
Adjusted hazard ratio (95% CI)
Long napvs Short nap
1.62(1.10–2.39)
No napvs Short nap
1.32(0.91–1.93)
Inadequate night sleepvs Adequate night sleep
1.89(1.10–3.23)

Observational data: associations, not effects.

Further findings

AF, joint category: long naps and inadequate night sleep

Adjusted HR (95% CI)
Long naps (≥30 min/day) and inadequate nighttime sleepHighest AF risk; threefold increased risk3.19 (1.30–7.79)

Original publication

Sleeping and the risk of atrial fibrillation: a prospective study in the SUN cohort. Eur J Prev Cardiol. Published 24 July 2025. doi:10.1093/eurjpc/zwaf377

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