The heart is in charge of circulating blood throughout the body, which guarantees that all organs and tissues in the body receive the enough oxygen.

Heart disease is a prominent cause of illness and mortality in the United States. While it is generally recognized that factors such as poor diet, insufficient exercise, and smoking can contribute to heart problems, there is a growing awareness of the dangers of sleep deprivation for heart health.

Food and exercise may come to mind while considering ways to improve your heart health. Sleep is equally important, despite the fact that many people regard it as a luxury rather than a necessity. It does, in fact, play a significant part in general health and well-being. Similarly, a nutritious diet, regular exercise, and a low stress level may encourage the type of deep, quality sleep required for optimal cardiovascular health.

Maintaining your sleep health is as crucial for your overall well-being as eating a low-fat diet to lower your cholesterol and maintain your heart health. According to the Center for Disease Control, 1 in 3 U.S. adults gets less than the recommended 7-9 hours of sleep a night.

Sleep allows the body to rest and recover, and it is essential for practically all aspects of physical health. Insufficient or fragmented sleep can contribute to blood pressure issues and increase the risk of heart disease, heart attacks, diabetes, and stroke in the cardiovascular system.

As a result, having enough sleep may help avoid cardiovascular issues and, for persons with heart problems, can be part of maintaining a heart-healthy lifestyle.

 

 

How much sleep do you need?

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advises adults between 18 and 65 to aim for at least seven to eight hours of good quality sleep per night.  But that number seems difficult to reach. Research from the National Sleep Foundation found that 35% of Americans report their sleep quality as “poor” or “only fair.” And about 63% of Americans say they’re not getting enough sleep during the week, reporting an average of six hours and 55 minutes per night.

 

 

How does sleep affect heart health?

Short sleep duration or poor sleep quality has been linked to increased blood pressure, raised cholesterol, and atherosclerosis in studies. In addition, chronically inadequate sleep raises the risk of cardiovascular events.

Not getting enough restful sleep is also correlated with:

 

Diabetes

Type 2 diabetes is a chronic condition in which the blood sugar level, also known as blood glucose, is abnormally high due to the body's inability to properly metabolize sugar. Excess blood glucose destroys blood vessels, which has a negative impact on cardiovascular health. Diabetes patients are twice as likely as non-diabetics to die from heart disease or stroke.

Many factors influence blood sugar levels; however, studies have shown that a lack of sleep impairs glucose metabolism. Sleep deprivation is linked to prediabetes. Impaired sleep may also worsen the hardening of arteries in people with type 2 diabetes

 

 

 

Sleep deprivation and Coronary artery disease, Stroke, and Blood Pressure

Blood pressure falls by 10-20% during typical, healthy sleep. This is known as nocturnal dipping, and studies has shown that it has a positive impact on cardiovascular health.

Poor sleep, whether due to a lack of sleep or disruptions in sleep, is connected with non-dipping, which means that a person's blood pressure does not drop during night.

coronary artery disease, it happens when plaque builds up in the arteries, hardening and narrowing them in a condition known as atherosclerosis. This reduces the ability of the heart to get enough blood and oxygen. Research has found that sleep deprivation contributes to atherosclerosis

 

 

 

Sleep recommendations for heart health

There are several steps you can take to achieve health sleep patterns and help your heart too.

• Avoid caffeinated drinks near bedtime.

• Limit alcohol.

• Find time to exercise during the day. Engaging in physical activities will not only help you sleep better, it’s good for your heart. 

• Turn off your computer, cell phone and TV at least half an hour before going to sleep. Studies show that the mental stimulation and blue light from these devices makes it harder to fall asleep and stay asleep.

Finally, when it comes to monitoring your sleep, make sure that you don’t have sleep apnea (a sleep disorder that causes you to stop breathing repeatedly while you’re asleep).

 

 

 

References

American College of Cardiology Insomnia and Heart Disease

Centre for Disease Control and Prevention data statistics

National Sleep Foundation: How sleep deprivation affects your heart

European Society of Cardiology: Finding the sweet spot of a good night’s sleep

 

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