How inadequate sleep can affect your heart health

Due to your busy schedule or screen addiction, you’re not getting enough sleep. You might be putting yourself at risk for a heart attack. A good night’s sleep has several advantages beyond feeling refreshed and energised in the morning. Experts recommend 7-8 hours of high-quality sleep for sustaining our bodies’ optimal functioning for a reason. ALSO READ : 5 FOODS THAT CAN HELP YOU SLEEP BETTER

It’s especially critical for your heart’s health because the vital organ needs profound rest after a long day. If you don’t give it enough rest, you risk developing cardiac problems. ALSO READ : STAGES OF SLEEP DEPRIVIATION

Our heart rate lowers and our blood pressure reduces by 10% to 20% when we receive enough sleep. The occurrence is known as nocturnal dipping, and it aids in the recovery of our hearts.

How inadequate sleep could lead to heart attack

People who suffer from sleep deprivation could increase their risk of high blood pressure, heart attack and heart failure.

“Inadequate or irregular patterns disrupts this normal cycle of dipping at night and such people are at increased risk of hypertension, irregular heartbeats, heart attack and heart failure,”.

Sleep deprivation could additionally lead to weight gain, high blood sugar, high cholesterol levels and depression, all of which are also independent risk factors for heart diseases. 

In a recent 5-year study conducted by National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) it was found that adults with high day-to-day variable sleeping pattern, having no regular bedtime or wakeup schedule were at more than double the risk of developing cardiovascular disease as compared to ones with regular patterns.

Irregular sleep pattern is a novel and independent risk factor for heart diseases and the study highlights pivotal role of regular pattern in our well-being. Irregular pattern as seen in night shift workers has also been shown to moderately increase the risk of heart attacks and stroke.

“Our body runs on circadian rhythm which is the 24-hour internal body clock that controls the wake cycle and heart rate, blood pressure, our appetite and few hormones are linked to this cycle, so when a person has a variable sleeping pattern the whole rhythm gets disrupted and leads to a state of ongoing inflammation which makes him/her prone to cardiovascular diseases, obesity and diabetes. Thus, sticking to a regular schedule even on weekends serves as a foundation for a better and healthy heart