Health outcomes after national acute sleep deprivation events among the American public.

BackgroundSleep is increasingly recognized as essential to human health, yet the adverse health consequences of acute sleep deprivation are unknown. Using actigraphic, genomic, and health data from the All of Us (AoU) Research Program, we characterized the detrimental health consequences of acute sleep deprivation in the American public. MethodsLOESS smoothing was performed on sleep estimates from Fitbit users (N = 14,681) between June 1, 2016 and July 1, 2022. Dates when population minutes slept were less than the 90% confidence interval of the LOESS regression were named acute sleep deprivation events (ASDEs). Phenome-wide disease incidence among the AoU population (N = 287,012) in the 10 days post-ASDE was compared to a preceding reference period by McNemar test. Circadian rhythm and sleep duration-associated SNPs were screened to identify genotypes associated with shorter ASDE sleep duration. Influences of sleep and circadian genotype on post-ASDE influenza risk were modeled using binomial family generalized estimating equations. FindingsWe identified 32 ASDEs spanning political and non-political events. A phenome-wide screen found increased risk of influenza (OR = 1.54 [1.40, 1.70], P-value = 1.00 x 10-18) following ASDEs. 56 SNPs were associated with decreased sleep duration on ASDEs. Higher quantiles of ASDE-related SNP genotype burden were associated with less ASDE sleep duration and a greater risk of influenza-associated healthcare visits. InterpretationNational political and non-political events are associated with acute sleep deprivation and greater influenza risk which is amplified by sleep genotypes. These findings should inform public health vigilance surrounding major national events.