How Sleep Loss Affects Your Heart

The Relationship Between Sleep And Your Hearts Health

How Sleep Loss Affects Your Heart (2)

Renowned heart health expert, Dr. Suzanne Steinbaum, explains that sleeping for less than six hours a day exposes one to various heart complications. In her book entitled, Total Heart Health, Steinbaum shows that there is a direct relationship between sleep inadequacy and the rise of cardiovascular problems, particularly among the middle-aged urban populations. Generally, sleep loss causes significant disruptions in crucial biological processes such as blood pressure and glucose metabolism, which compromise the health of your heart.

  • Inadequate Sleep May Cause Heart Attack

A study that sampled 3000 adults above the age of 45 established that those who experienced regular sleep disruptions were highly susceptible to strokes and heart attacks. According to the findings, short periods of sleep cause the release of harmful chemicals that lower the blood pressure and heart rate. If these conditions persist, the heart begins to malfunction in ways that can expose the affected person to a heart attack. As such, health experts recommend more than six hours per day for a healthy heart.

  • Sleep Apnea and Heart Failure

Sleep apnea is considered as one of the leading causes of heart failure. Various studies have established that people who experience severe sleep apnea were at a higher risk of developing congestive heart failure than those who slept normally. The same effect may be experienced among individuals whose occupations entail nighttime wakefulness over extended periods. Basing on these findings, you should develop a definite sleeping pattern that allows you about six of more hours of sleep daily.

  • Poor Sleeping Patterns and Hypertension

Regardless of age, people who experience insufficient sleep are highly vulnerable to hypertension. Recent surveys on patterns of hypertension in urban populations have shown that both adults and children who experience sleep inadequacy showed symptoms of hypertension. More than 58 percent of individuals within the surveyed group had suffered from hypertension-related complications at some point in their lives. People can lead healthier lives if they embrace the practice of healthy sleeping on a regular basis.

  • What the Experts RecommendHow Sleep Loss Affects Your Heart (1)

According to distinguished heart health experts, it is necessary for people to eat a balanced diet consisting of sleep-enhancing foods a few hours before bedtime in order to achieve quality sleep. Changing your lifestyle such as cutting down on alcoholic intake and desisting from drugs and substances can help to improve the quality of your sleep. Once you learn to sleep for sufficient hours, you will notice significant improvement in the health of your heart and a significant reduction in psychological stress.