Chronic sleeplessness is linked to renal deterioration and failure, as well as the risk of early mortality among US veterans, according to a recent study. The researchers believe that managing long-term insomnia can help to prevent such detrimental health repercussions.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, insomnia is the most frequent sleep problem, with 35.2 percent of individuals in the United States experiencing short nightly sleep duration (CDC).

Sleep deprivation has also been related to a variety of health issues, including depression, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and Alzheimer's disease, to mention a few. Recent studies, on the other hand, have highlighted the protective qualities of a good night's sleep when it comes to chronic stress.

Insomnia is now linked to renal function deterioration, kidney failure, and elevated mortality risk, according to a new study from the University of Tennessee Health Science Center in Memphis, TN.

The study's principal researcher, Drs. Csaba Kovesdy and Jun Ling Lu focused on the hazards of chronic insomnia on kidney health, and they worked with a large cohort of US veterans to do so.

Their findings were presented at the American Society of Nephrology Kidney Week 2017 earlier this week.

Insomnia is linked to an increased risk of renal disease.

The researchers looked at renal health and all-cause mortality in a cohort of 957,587 veterans who didn't have any kidney problems at the start of the study. 41,928 people in the study experienced chronic insomnia.

Adjustments were done for key affecting factors such as body mass index (BMI), blood pressure, comorbid conditions, and socioeconomic level to guarantee consistency of the results.

23.1 percent of research participants died during a median follow-up period of 6.1 years, whereas 2.7 percent had an accelerated deterioration in renal function. In addition, 0.2 percent of those who took part in the study suffered renal failure.

Chronic sleeplessness was linked to a 1.4 times greater chance of death from any cause, a 1.5 times higher risk of renal deterioration, and 2.4 times higher risk of kidney failure, according to the researchers.

These findings suggest that persistent sleep deprivation may contribute to the development of chronic kidney disease (CKD) and reduce overall life expectancy.

Sleep has 'long-term favorable impacts.'

According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, CKD affects around 14% of the general population in the United States.

Obesity, smoking, diabetes, and hypertension are all established risk factors for CKD, according to experts. If the condition develops, dialysis or even a kidney transplant may be required.

Dr. Kovesdy and his colleagues believe that the findings of their study should lead to the more attentive care of insomnia, which might have long-term advantages and help avoid the development of other chronic health disorders like CKD.

However, the researchers caution that further study is needed to prove how beneficial interventions aimed at chronic insomnia are at preventing other health problems.

'Dedicated prospective investigations, including clinical trials, will need to be conducted to test this idea,' adds Dr. Kovesdy.