Most adults need at least seven hours of sleep each night, but according to the US Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than one in three Americans say they do not get adequate rest. Did you know that your sleeping habits affect your heart health? Read this blog to learn about the health implications of poor sleeping habits on your heart and how you can fix your sleep routine.
Conditions caused by sleep deprivation
Adults who sleep less than seven hours each night are more likely to say they have had health problems, including heart attack, asthma and depression, says the CDC. These conditions can increase the likelihood of heart disease, heart attack and stroke. Sleep deprivation may also contribute to other heart disease risk factors, such as:
High blood pressure. Having sleep problems means your blood pressure stays higher for a longer period. High blood pressure is one of the leading risks for heart disease and stroke. Nearly half (48.1percent) of adults in the United States have high blood pressure.
Type 2 diabetes. Diabetes is a disease that causes sugar to build up in your blood, a condition that can damage your blood vessels. Some studies show that getting enough sleep may help people improve blood sugar control.
Obesity. Lack of sleep can lead to unhealthy weight gain. This is especially true for children and adolescents, who need more sleep than adults. Additionally, not getting enough sleep may affect a part of the brain that controls hunger.
Common sleep disorders
Sleep disorders affect the quality, timing and amount of sleep and can negatively affect your heart health. They include:
- Insomnia keeps people awake or sleeping fitfully, leading to daytime drowsiness and causing memory and cognitive problems.
- Narcolepsy causes people to experience excessive daytime sleepiness and have trouble regulating their sleep-wake cycles.
- Restless legs syndrome (RLS) makes people feel uncomfortable and unsettled because of periodic limb movement, especially at night when they’re trying to sleep.
- Sleep apnea occurs when people can’t breathe normally during sleep. The stop-and-start breathing makes it hard to get enough oxygen and disturbs slumber.
