Sleep Duration and Sarcopenia: An Updated Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Abstract

Objectives: In adults, short and long sleep duration has been associated with sarcopenia risk. Studies have shown that various factors, including biological and psychological factors, could be the underlying cause of the association between aberrant sleep duration and sarcopenia risk. In this study, we have qualitatively and quantitatively summarized previously published studies on sleep duration to assess the relationship between sleep duration and sarcopenia risk in adults. This would aid in enhancing our understanding of recent advancements in this field and the association between sleep duration and sarcopenia risk.

Design: Systematic review and meta-analysis.

Setting and participants: In this review, we included studies evaluating the association between the duration of sleep and sarcopenia in adults in observational studies.

Methods: Five electronic databases (PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, and Web of Science) were searched to April 20, 2023, to identify studies related to sarcopenia and sleep duration. Next, we calculated the odds ratios (ORs) for sarcopenia prevalence based on the adjusted data from individual studies. Statistical analyses were performed using Stata 11.0.

Results: Sarcopenia prevalence was high (18%) in adults with long sleep duration. Our results showed a significant association between short duration of sleep and high sarcopenia prevalence in older adults (OR 1.2, 95% CI 1.02-1.41, I² = 56.6%). Furthermore, a significant association was observed between all participants with long-duration sleep and high sarcopenia prevalence (OR 1.53, 95% CI 1.34-1.75, I² = 56.8%). We also observed significant heterogeneity in the adjusted ORs.

Conclusions and implications: There was a correlation between sarcopenia and short or long sleep duration, especially in older adults. In adults with a long duration of sleep, sarcopenia prevalence was relatively high.

Keywords: Sarcopenia; meta-analysis; older adults; prevalence; sleep duration.