If you need another reason to go to bed on time, there is growing evidence that heart health is affected by how long it takes you to fall asleep and how well you sleep once you’re in dream land.
Scientists have found that sleeping too little (<5 hours per day) or too much (>9 hours per day) is linked to heart disease and hypertension.
Sleep disordered breathing (SDB) is also linked to many problems related to heart health. SDB is a general term for interrupted breathing or getting too little oxygen while asleep. In population studies, those who experience SDB are more likely to have high blood pressure and congestive heart failure as well as have a heart attack or stroke.
Glucose control also seems to be affected by quality of breathing when asleep. Sleep disordered breathing was shown to be related to a greater risk of insulin resistance and type II diabetes.
Restless leg syndrome (RLS) is another condition that interrupts sleep. People with RLS experience an overwhelming need to move the limbs that gets worse during rest. A recent study showed that people with RLS were more likely to have coronary artery disease and cardiovascular disease.
In the latest study on sleep and heart health, sleep was a factor in risk profile even in women without a diagnosed sleep disorder. Those women who had trouble falling asleep or who had poor sleep quality had higher blood levels of substances linked to heart disease and diabetes. The researchers did not find a similar relationship between reported sleep quality and biomarkers of disease in men.
How Sleep Can Help Your Heart
When you sleep, your heart and vessels gets a break as your pulse rate and blood pressure dip to levels lower than when awake.
Getting enough sleep helps reduce psychological and emotional stress that may be harmful for your heart.
Changes in satiety hormones occur during sleep. Hormones that control appetite change during sleep. Without adequate sleep, you may not benefit from the hormonal changes that result in feeling less hungry.
Changes in glucose regulating hormones occur during sleep. People who get too little sleep have less glucose control and are more likely to be insulin resistant and develop type II diabetes.
Tips for Getting Heart Healthy Sleep
Get the right amount of sleep. On average, adults need 7-8 hours of sleep each night. It’s best to get the same amount of sleep each night, rather than skimping during the week and making up for it on the weekends.
Don’t drink alcohol before bed. Alcohol intake is known to interrupt sleep, making it more likely that you will wake up during the night and not be able to get back to sleep. Alcohol also makes sleep disordered breathing worse.
Maintain a healthy weight. Obesity is linked to sleep disorders including sleep apnea.
Avoid caffeine. You may be well aware of how your sleep is affected by the time of day you drink coffee, tea or caffeinated soda. But if you are having new problems getting to sleep and staying asleep, try to avoid caffeine completely to see if that is the cause.
Take steps to relax before bed. For one, eat and do any vigorous exercise a few hours before going to bed. Prepare for bed with quiet activities such as reading.
Create a healthy sleep environment. It is recommended that you sleep where it is dark, quiet and at a comfortable temperature.
Napping can help. If you feel the need for extra sleep during the day, napping is one way to make up for lost nighttime sleep. The key is to keep the nap short and early in day so you do not have a hard time getting to sleep at night. One hour is a good guideline for taking a healthy nap.
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