A healthy sleep wards off heart disease. People who are not able to get a good 7 to 8 hours of sleep every night are more likely to be at risk of cardiovascular disorders and coronary heart problems. So if you think sleep is a luxury or have a notion that sleep has nothing to do with your cardiovascular health then we are here to debunk those myths.
How do sleep disturbances cause heart problems?
As per a study published in 2019 in the online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology, people who have trouble sleeping are more likely to have a stroke, heart attack or other cerebrovascular or cardiovascular diseases. Sleep deprivation also causes heart palpitations in many cases.
Another body function poor sleep impacts is the blood pressure. Our blood pressure normally goes down during sleep. Someone who is experiencing sleep problems will continue to maintain a higher blood pressure for a longer amount of time. This actually increases the risks for heart disease and stroke.
What sleep problems can cause heart failure?
Sleep related disturbances and heart health are very much interconnected. One impacts the other greatly which makes it crucial to maintain a healthy sleep routine for a well functioning heart.
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Sleep Apnea
Sleep apnea is a serious sleep disorder related to interruption in breathing during sleep. If left untreated, sleep apnea can cause high blood pressure, stroke, irregular heartbeats, and even heart failure. As per a research,untreated sleep apnea may raise the risk of dying from heart disease by up to five times.
Though the condition is more prevalent among people aged 50 or more, it can also affect people of all ages and even children. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle which includes eating well, exercising regularly, staying away from alcohol and smoking and also not depending on sleeping pills are good ways to prevent sleep apnea.
Side sleeping may also help improve the condition and its symptoms by reducing snoring.
It is a well-known fact that insomnia causes high blood pressure. Insomnia is the most common disorder amongst us humans. It is trouble falling and/or staying asleep. This can affect you both physically and mentally and be acute ( short-term) or chronic ( long-term) which means it can last for months.
Insomnia is also said to make heart-failure symptoms worse as it triggers the body's stress response, which ultimately weakens the heart over time.
There are many other sleep disorders that impact our overall health and well being, also indirectly affecting our heart health. A good sleep schedule is a key to preventing such sleep disturbances.
How is peaceful sleep the key to a healthy heart?
We no longer have any reason to encourage sleep deprivation especially among young adults and teens or see it as a testament to hard work. With our lifestyles becoming increasingly complex and challenging, it is advisable to listen to our bodies and nourish ourselves with healthy food and good sleep. As per a study, adolescents who don’t sleep well are at greater risk of developing cardiovascular problems. It also doesn’t take a severe sleeping disorder like sleep apnea to see the effects on our heart, poor sleeping habits due to work schedule, and compromised sleep hygiene is enough to put our heart health at risk.
Anybody who is able to understand the importance of sleep as an immunity booster and in maintaining good heart health will surely stay invested in the subject and take measures to improve sleep quality for a long, healthy and disease-free life.
With sleep also helping us in boosting our immunity levels, it is recommended to have a healthy sleep environment at home that will encourage a more enriching sleep every night. Choosing the right mattress plays a crucial role in making this possible.
Do invest an ample amount of time in selecting the mattress. It is an intimate product, needs to be picked as per your personal needs, be hygienic, and come from a brand you can trust. Check out our mattress buying guide for more help.
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