Erratic Sleep Puts Heart Health At Risk
7/9/2021
Stay on schedule with a full night of sleep for your best physical and mental health
CRESTVIEW, Fla, 07/09/21 – We’ve all experienced the tiredness and lack of clarity that comes from a sleepless night, but a study published last year by the Journal of the American College of Cardiology Foundation found that sleep schedule inconsistency is also a risk factor for heart disease. Myron Faircloth, DNP, FNP-BC, a family medicine provider with Gateway Medical Clinic, is making sure patients know how important it is to establish a regular pattern for going to bed and waking up.
The cardiovascular system exhibits strong circadian rhythms, biochemical, physiological and behavioral processes that rise and fall during the 24-hour day, to maintain normal functioning. The sleep/wake cycle is another circadian rhythm, and the study found that individuals with the most irregular sleep duration or timing had more than twice the risk of developing cardiovascular disease compared with individuals who had the most regular sleep patterns. Physicians are now more likely to recommend sufficient sleep as a heart health prevention action on top of physical activity and healthy diet.
“Sleep is your body’s time to recharge its batteries for the next day,” says Faircloth. “Without that recharge, stress hormones and inflammatory markers increase, while at the same time, neurologic processes slow down or malfunction. As a result, normal activities end up requiring more energy, which only makes your fatigue worse.”
The National Sleep Foundation has identified that from age 18 to 64 we need 7 to 9 hours of sleep, and at 65 or older we need 7 to 8 hours of sleep. Children and younger people have a need for more hours.
This time is needed so the body can perform a number of vital functions that support the health of your body and brain. Three primary functions are repairing tissue, fighting off infection and processing memories of experiences from your day.
“Quality of sleep is critical too,” said Faircloth. “When you aren’t sleeping well for prolonged periods of time, that creates a sleep deficiency, and sleep deficiencies have been connected with a higher risk of heart disease, kidney disease, high blood pressure, and stroke, not to mention deregulated blood lipids and insulin resistance that can lead to diabetes.” Insufficient sleep can affect your body in numerous ways, some of which include:
- Immune functioning is compromised as your body produces fewer antibodies so you’re more likely to get sick and the body has fewer resources to stave off illness, including cancers.
- Impulse control and appetite hormones can become unbalanced, promoting overeating and obesity.
- Mental functioning can be less for problem solving, reasoning, organizing, planning and executing plans.
- Learning is affected in all stages – your ability to encode new information, to consolidate and absorb the information and make new connections, and ability to remember and retrieve the information.
Many things can cause difficulties sleeping and sleep deprivation, including stress, sleep apnea and chronic insomnia. Insomnia is often a symptom of stress or anxiety disorders that can make it difficult for you to relax enough to fall asleep and sleep soundly. Your physician can help diagnose whether you could benefit from medication or behavioral therapy or if a thorough sleep study is needed.
If you need help finding a primary care physician, visit northokaloosaphysiciangroup.com to be connected with one of our qualified primary care providers.
Sources
- CDC
- Huang T, Mariani S, Redline S. – Sleep Irregularity and Risk of Cardiovascular Events: The Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis. Journal of American College of Cardiology, March 10, 2020
- The Sleep Revolution: Transforming Your Life, One Night At A Time, by Arianna Huffington, 2016.
- The organizational cost of insufficient sleep, by Nick van Dam and Els van der Helm, McKinsey Quarterly, February 2016.
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