Sleep and Healthy Aging: A Systematic Review and Path Forward

Functional Foods and Nutraceuticals for the Management of Cardiovascular Disease Risk in Postmenopausal Women

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a leading cause of death in women and risk of development is greatly increased following menopause. Menopause occurs over several years and is associated with hormonal changes, including a reduction in estradiol and an increase in follicle-stimulating hormone. This hormonal shift may result in an increased risk of developing abdominal adiposity, insulin resistance, dyslipidemia, vascular dysfunction, hypertension, type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD), and metabolic syndrome (MetS). Furthermore, with the onset of menopause, there is an increase in oxidative stress that is associated with impaired vascular function, inflammation, and thrombosis, further increasing the risk of CVD development. Despite the harmful consequences of the menopause transition being well known, women in premenopausal, perimenopausal, and postmenopausal stages are unlikely to be enrolled in research studies. Therefore, investigations on the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular and metabolic disease in middle-aged women are still relatively limited. Whilst lifestyle interventions are associated with reduced CVD risk in this population sample, the evidence still remains inconclusive. Therefore, it is important to explore the effectiveness of early intervention and potential therapeutic approaches to maintain cellular redox balance, preserve endothelium, and reduce inflammation. Glycine, N-acetylcysteine, and L-theanine are amino acids with potential antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity and are identified as therapeutic interventions in the management of age-related and metabolic diseases. The benefits of the intake of these amino acids for improving factors associated with cardiovascular health are discussed in this review. Future studies using these amino acids are warranted to investigate their effect on maintaining the vascular health and cardiovascular outcomes of postmenopausal women.

The Night Divide: Gender-Specific Trajectories of Sleep Disturbances Among Multiple Cohorts of Aging Populations

OBJECTIVES

Sleep disturbances in later life are prevalent and can profoundly impact health and well-being. However, whether and how trajectories of sleep disturbances vary as people age by gender and across age cohorts remains unexplored. This study applies an integrated theoretical framework to understand gender-specific trajectories of sleep disturbances over time and how they vary by cohort.

METHODS

Accelerated longitudinal data from the Health and Retirement Study (N = 20,947; M = 8,562, F = 12,385) was analyzed to investigate gender-specific trajectories of sleep disturbances and potential cohort variations. Weighted growth curve model was applied with sociodemographic and health-related variables. Men and women were analyzed separately.

RESULTS

Results showed that sleep disturbances increased with age in men, but not in women. Also, younger cohorts of men increased sleep disturbances over time at a slower rate than older cohorts. Among men, health profiles accounted for the association between age and sleep disturbances. Among men and women, younger cohorts started with higher levels of sleep disturbances around midlife. When examining specific types of sleep disturbance separately, having trouble falling asleep was the type that drove the observed patterns in men. For women, there was no association between age and any individual type of sleep disturbance.

DISCUSSION

This study shows that men, rather than women, tend to experience increasing sleep disturbances with age, with some variations across cohorts. These findings imply that different strategies for men and women and targeted timing over the life course would be most effective at promoting sleep health in American men and women.

The Emerging Importance of Sleep Regularity on Cardiovascular Health and Cognitive Impairment in Older Adults: A Review of the Literature

The regularity of sleep/wake patterns across multiple days is emerging as an important determinant of health. However, the association between sleep regularity and health outcomes in the aging population is not well understood. The current systematic review identified 22 publications that examined the relationship between sleep regularity and selected health outcomes: cardiovascular risk, cognitive impairment, and mortality. All studies were published after 2010, reflecting a growing research interest in daily sleep regularity. Low sleep regularity was consistently associated with higher cardiovascular risk and elevated risk of all-cause mortality. Results on cognitive impairment are mixed, with inconsistency likely attributed to small sample sizes and differences in sleep regularity assessment. Overall, regularity in sleep carries important information about health and should be included in future studies that collect daily sleep measures. Gaps in literature and methodological shortcomings are discussed.

Lifestyle effects on aging and CVD: A spotlight on the nutrient-sensing network

Aging is widespread worldwide and a significant risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD). Mechanisms underlying aging have attracted considerable attention in recent years. Remarkably, aging and CVD overlap in numerous ways, with deregulated nutrient sensing as a common mechanism and lifestyle as a communal modifier. Interestingly, lifestyle triggers or suppresses multiple nutrient-related signaling pathways. In this review, we first present the composition of the nutrient-sensing network (NSN) and its metabolic impact on aging and CVD. Secondly, we review how risk factors closely associated with CVD, including adverse life states such as sedentary behavior, sleep disorders, high-fat diet, and psychosocial stress, contribute to aging and CVD, with a focus on the bridging role of the NSN. Finally, we focus on the positive effects of beneficial dietary interventions, specifically dietary restriction and the Mediterranean diet, on the regulation of nutrient metabolism and the delayed effects of aging and CVD that depend on the balance of the NSN. In summary, we expound on the interaction between lifestyle, NSN, aging, and CVD.