One-third of all Americans don’t get enough sleep; 50% of all deaths are caused by heart-related issues. Do you think there is a connection? You bet there is. “Researchers have found that when we don’t get enough sleep, our bodies produce higher levels of C-reactive protein, interleukin-6, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, and other inflammatory agents. Each of these is also linked with heart disease and other chronic health issues like diabetes.”[1] Inflammation is also the key factor in other autoimmune diseases such as Rheumatoid Arthritis, Crohn’s Disease, Asthma, Heart Disease, Fibromyalgia and a host of other inflammation-related conditions.
Not getting a good night’s sleep can cause a host of other problems like focus, performance, driving skills, accuracy, and temperament (mood).
According to a 2017 study of nearly 13,000 adults, people who experience poor sleep due to any of the above issues have a 71% higher risk of ischemic heart disease (abbreviated as IHD, covering heart attack or angina) and a 45% higher risk of stroke.[2]
Time and again, research indicates that quality sleep is just as critical for your long-term health as diet and exercise. The overwhelming amount of research establishing the connection between poor sleep and heart disease has led the American Heart Association to issue warnings about it.
Poor sleep can describe a variety of issues, including trouble falling asleep or trouble staying asleep, dependence on sleeping pills, daytime fatigue, and sleep-disordered breathing like snoring.
Snoring could also be an indicator of sleep apnea a condition that affects many adults and can lead to heart failure and cardiac death. If you feel sleepy during the day and have other symptoms, you should consult your physician. You may need help and getting that help may save your life.
What can be done:
- Physicians and nurses should also educate their patients about the importance of sleep to their health.
- Physicians and nurses should routinely assess patients’ sleep patterns and discuss sleep-related problems such as snoring and excessive daytime sleepiness.
- Everyone should make getting enough sleep a priority and practice good sleep habits.
- Employers should adjust work schedules to allow their workers time to get enough sleep. This also applies to the military.
- Employers can also educate their shift workers about how to improve their sleep. Which means taking the onus off of getting the right amount of sleep.
www.cdc.gov/sleep.
[1] https://www.tuck.com/heart-disease-and-sleep/