Hypertension in young adults: Joint Associations of sleep duration and physical activity

Abstract

This study analyzed data from the 2009 to 2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey involving 6765 Young adults aged 18–44 (mean age: 32.11 ± 7.16 years; 51.44% male) to examine independent and joint associations of sleep duration and physical activity with hypertension risk. Short sleep (<7 h/day) and no physical activity were significantly associated with increased hypertension risk (OR = 1.28 and 1.15). Short sleep remained a significant risk factor among those with sufficient physical activity (OR = 1.38), while no physical activity increased risk regardless of sleep duration (OR = 1.33). Long sleep and insufficient physical activity showed no significant associations. In conclusion, both short sleep and insufficient physical activity independently increase hypertension risk in young adults, without attenuating each other’s effects. These findings highlight the need for integrated strategies promoting adequate sleep and regular physical activity to mitigate hypertension risk in young adults. Due to the cross-sectional design, causal relationships cannot be established.