Sleeping Too Little May Spell Trouble for Your Heart

Scientific researchers have noticed a marked increase in heart attacks and strokes in the days following the change to daylight saving time each spring. Getting a good night’s sleep every night is vital to cardiovascular health. Adults should aim for an average of 7-9 hours, and babies and kids need more depending on their age. Unfortunately, we know that as many as 1 in 3 people do not get their recommended amount of sleep each night.

In addition to increasing the risk for cardiovascular conditions like heart attack and stroke, lack of sleep may also put people at risk of things like depression, cognitive decline, and obesity. New research in the Journal of the American Heart Association shows maintaining a consistent sleep pattern may play an important role in preventing cardiovascular disease.

How Does Sleep Affect Your Heart Health?

Researchers found that falling asleep at different times or sleeping an inconsistent number of hours each night, even variations of more than two hours a night within the same week were tied to developing hardened arteries, known as atherosclerosis.

It is a known fact that people who get adequate sleep manage other health factors better as well, such as weight, blood sugar, and blood pressure. The American Heart Association recently added sleep to the list of factors that support optimal cardiovascular health.

How to Get a Good Night’s Sleep?

Starting to do even small changes in daily habits can make a big difference in sleep quality including making healthy living a habit; Setting the alarm time for a consistent sleep pattern; establishing bedtime habits; few minutes to de-stress before sleeping; and logging off your electronic devices at least an hour before bedtime.

Getting to sleep can be tricky for some people, however, sleep supplements should be used sparingly, and only under the advice of a healthcare clinician. It is also very important to consider the possibility of a sleep disorder like sleep apnea or insomnia.

These conditions can increase a person’s risk of heart disease and stroke and should be treated appropriately to improve the quality and duration of sleep, as well as overall health. While it may take a while to make falling asleep and staying asleep a habit, taking the time to develop and then stick with a good, natural bedtime routine is important.

When first starting, don’t lie in bed tossing and turning if you’re restless. Get up and try a few things to soothe your mind, maybe write out a to-do list for the next day, read a few pages of a good book, or do some yoga stretches.

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Just make one small change at a time, adding a new one every week or so until you find what works best for you. Soon you will be sleeping soundly through the night and waking up refreshed each morning, knowing you’re being good to yourself and to your heart.

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Source-Eurekalert