Sleeping is more than just a means to kill time. Your entire body, including your heart, depends on it for health. The importance of sleep as a risk factor for cardiovascular disease is now becoming recognised. A healthy lifestyle and the management of identified risks can avoid more than 80% of cardiovascular events, such as heart attacks, irregular heart rhythms, and coronary artery disease.
It might come as no surprise that a growing amount of evidence shows a connection between numerous sleeping disorders and cardiovascular health.
People who experience typical sleeping problems like obstructive sleep apnea or insomnia are also far more likely than the general population to experience heart arrhythmias, plaque buildup, heart failure, and coronary artery disease.
Heart effects of less sleep
Sleep has always been a component because it affects cardiovascular health in conjunction with other aspects.
By influencing our decisions about what to eat and how much to exercise, lack of sleep can indirectly harm the heart. Lack of sleep can increase food cravings and make it more likely that people will choose less heart-healthy comfort foods that are high in sugar and saturated fat. Lack of sleep also makes a person more susceptible to high blood pressure, which increases their chance of developing heart disease. The endothelial cells that line the veins can become inflamed due to mild sleep issues, which may contribute considerably to the development of cardiovascular disease. Lack of sleep also encourages inflammation.
Death, heart attack, and stroke: Researchers have shown a weak correlation between the length of sleep, or nine hours or more at a time, and stroke. A higher risk of death is linked to both short and long periods of sleep.
Sleep and mental health are related in a similar way, both ways: People with psychological disorders are more likely than the general population to experience sleep issues, and sleep issues may also raise the risk of experiencing some mental illnesses. Heart health could be impacted by this.
Importance of Sleep for Heart
Sleep, general physical health, especially cardiovascular health, and mental wellness are all closely related. Contrarily, optimism is linked to a healthy life, including greater sleep and a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease and all-cause mortality.
By promoting better sleep, lifestyle factors including food and exercise may both directly and indirectly lower the risk of heart disease. This could then result in a more positive outlook and increased energy, which is the best form of feedback loop.
Though the causes are still unknown, excessive sleep can also lead to issues. According to the current theory, sleeping more than nine hours a night increases the risk of developing depression or other heart-related conditions even though the amount of sleep itself is not thought to be detrimental.
Maintaining your sleep health is crucial for your general well-being, much as we stress the need of eating a low-fat diet to lower cholesterol and preserve heart health.
Less than 6 hours of sleep each night increases the risk of weight gain, diabetes, and heart disease diagnosis compared to 7-8 hours of sleep each night.
There is such a strong connection between heart health and sleep issues that some cardiac centers employ sleep specialists.
A word from the doctor
Even on weekends, maintain a regular bedtime and wake-up time. The most crucial thing anyone can do to start laying the groundwork for better sleep is to establish a schedule that your body and brain will grow accustomed to. As a result, sleep should come more naturally.
Schedule a consultation with Dr. Sanul Corrielus right away if you have questions about your heart health!
