Data analysis of 6,000 people: Sleep disorders cause heart disease to triple! 5 tricks to reverse sleep problems
Sad about sleeping problems? The risk of heart disease may triple
Lack of sleep and poor sleep quality are factors that affect cardiovascular disease. If adults have sleep health problems, they may lead to decreased immune function, increased risk of heart disease, and even increase the risk of various chronic diseases in later life and increase premature death. risk. It is worth noting that “insomnia” or “lack of sleep” may not be the only sleep problems. New research claims that when more than one sleep problem occurs, the risk of heart disease can increase by as much as 54% to 141%.
A research team from the University of South Florida analyzed the sleep data of 6,820 American adults with an average age of 53, and divided sleep problems into regularity (the difference in sleep time between working days and holidays), satisfaction (whether it is difficult to fall asleep, whether it is difficult to fall asleep at night, etc.) Difficulty falling asleep again after waking up, or whether you feel tired during the day), alertness (how often you nap for more than 5 minutes), efficiency (how long it takes from lying down to falling asleep), duration (how many hours you usually sleep each day) ).
The research team used the “MIDUS” research data to analyze the above six sleep quality indicators, combined with relevant records of subjects diagnosed with cardiovascular diseases, and found that with each additional sleep disorder, the risk of heart disease increased 54 %, if one additional item each of sleep disorders recorded by self-review and monitoring equipment is added, the risk of heart disease rises to 141%.
Men are more likely to have heart disease and women are more likely to suffer from insomnia
Research claims that when there is a combination of different sleep problems, such as difficulty falling asleep, waking up in the middle of the night, and less than 6 hours of sleep per night, the risk of heart disease can increase nearly three times. In addition, a review of research also shows that poor sleep conditions are likely to increase depression and anxiety. Such people are also more likely to face obesity problems or social barriers with family and friends.
From a gender perspective, men and women also face slightly different sleep health and heart disease risks. The overall risk of heart disease in men is 7%-8% higher than in women, but women are more likely to suffer from insomnia due to estrogen. Studies claim that poor sleep health is positively related to the risk of high blood pressure and diabetes. As adults gradually enter the peak period of cardiovascular diseases such as arteriosclerosis, they should pay more attention to their daily sleep quality.
How to improve sleep problems: Harvard experts teach 5 tips to help you fall asleep
Lawrence Epstein, an assistant professor at Harvard Medical School and a sleep expert, said that this type of research can use quantitative relationships to prove the importance of adequate sleep for health. People encounter many situations in their daily lives that lead to their sleep time being squeezed out, or they may not know it. Developing habits during sleep that disrupt sleep patterns. Harvard Medical School summarizes several ways to improve your sleep:
Wake up at a regular time: Waking up at a fixed time can ensure that sleep time is not too long, maintains the body’s biological clock, and can also reduce going to bed late the next day or having difficulty falling asleep.
Practice relaxing before going to bed: Many people don’t sleep well because their brains are busy thinking, which prevents them from resting and makes it more difficult to fall asleep. Before going to bed, you can write down the things you are worried about with a piece of paper and practice slow breathing or yoga exercises to help you fall asleep.
Disable 3C before going to bed: Blue light will affect hormone secretion. Using mobile phones, tablets and various electronic products before going to bed will make it more difficult for the brain to relax and rest, and will also interfere with the biological clock. It is recommended to put down these 3C products 2 hours before going to bed.
Create a comfortable environment: A cool, dark, and quiet environment is more suitable for falling asleep and can also improve sleep quality. Recent studies have also found that turning on lights while sleeping may affect hormone secretion and diabetes risk. You may wish to use eye masks or adopt various methods to maintain a comfortable and low-light sleeping environment.
Limit the use of the bed to sleeping: Performing other activities on the bed will prevent the brain from adapting to the routine and make it more difficult to fall asleep. It is recommended that the bed be used only for sleeping and sexual intercourse. In addition, intimate sexual intercourse between partners also has a certain sleep-promoting effect.
Other ways to potentially improve your night’s sleep include reducing or limiting caffeine intake during the day to avoid overstimulation, especially for people who are sensitive to caffeine. Eating three meals at regular intervals, reducing alcohol consumption, and exercising during the day as much as possible can all help improve sleep quality.
If you have factors that interfere with your sleep, such as chronic pain or mental health problems such as anxiety and depression, you should discuss treatment options with your doctor as soon as possible.
Source:
Poor sleep can triple risk for heart disease
Struggling to sleep? Your heart may pay the price
No more counting sheep: Proven behaviors to help you sleep
Sleep health composites are associated with the risk of heart disease across sex and race
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