Here’s How Poor Sleep Can Affect Heart Health
What do you do when your cell phone runs out of battery? You charge it. Similarly, your body and mind need charging after a long and hectic day. Sleep, not only allows the body time to rest and restore its energy, but also plays a major role in maintaining good health.
Therefore, six to eight hours of daily sleep is recommended and necessary for a healthy lifestyle. However, the majority of the world’s population (mostly adolescents and young adults) these days are avoiding proper sleep, without realizing that lack Of sleep might be killing them slowly!
Effects Of Less Sleep
Many scientific studies have shown that sleep deprivation can give way to numerous issues for heart diseases like high blood pressure, higher triglyceride levels, and increased cholesterol levels. Lack of sufficient sleep also elevates cortisol levels, leading to stress, which in turn is a major culprit of high blood sugar.
In a report published in the European Heart Journal, it was mentioned that people who slept for a short duration of time were at a 48 per cent increased risk of developing coronary heart disease (CHD) or dying due to it. Not just the number of sleeping hours but also the quality of sleep is important.
Obstructive Sleep Apnea
This is a medical condition whereby there is an obstruction to the flow of air into the lungs. This causes the patient to snore and temporarily stop breathing. Therefore, this break in sleep leads to poor quality sleep, with patients often complaining of daytime sleepiness and lethargy, If not treated, this elevates the risk of high blood pressure, cholesterol, heart disease, pulmonary hypertension, and even sudden death!
In today’s world wherein a busy life and increasing competition prevents people from getting enough sleep, it becomes important to adopt better sleep habits. So here are some important things that can be done:
- A healthy, balanced diet and an organized daily routine can be helpful in improving your sleep cycle
- It is essential to monitor and regulate your sleeping hours
- Try to avoid sleeping pills, as they can have several side effects which can do more harm than good
- See a doctor if you have been suffering from insomnia for a long duration and are unable to underline the cause, as neglecting the problem will only worsen the condition
To put it in a nutshell, sleep is vital for a healthy heart and by depriving yourself of that sweet goodnight sleep, you are subtracting years from your lifespan. So, go on, take charge of your life and get your sleep cycle back on track!