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Are lack of sleep and cardiovascular problems related?
Posted on: 22/Oct/2016 9:50:24 AM
A recent article that was published in the journal Circulation has talked about the link between sleep and cardiovascular related problems. The article has questioned if improving sleep would decrease these risk factors and, therefore, the risk of heart disease. Risk factors that are associated with both sleep irregularities and heart disease include obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease and atherosclerosis, arrhythmias, high blood pressure, stroke, and unhealthy levels of triglycerides and cholesterol.
According to a recommendation by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and Sleep Research Society, adults should get at least 7 hours of sleep per night to promote overall health. However, the American Heart Association does not have a recommendation on how much sleep is needed for cardiovascular wellness, as there is currently not enough scientific evidence to base a recommendation.
Experts say, Short sleep, usually defined as under 7 hours per night, overly long sleep, usually defined as more than 9 hours per night and sleep disorders may increase some cardiovascular risk factors, but we don`t know if improving sleep quality reduces those risk factors. Since the scientific evidence doesn`t show a specific dose/response relationship between sleep duration and cardiovascular wellness, the American Heart Association cannot offer specific advice on how much sleep is needed to protect people from cardiovascular disease.
The National Sleep Foundation says that sleep is essential for a healthy heart.While the reasons behind why not getting enough sleep is detrimental to heart health are unclear, scientists indicate that less sleep causes disruptions to underlying health conditions and biological processes such as glucose metabolism, blood pressure, and inflammation.
