- The Sound Sleeper
Help your heart while you sleep
Getting those recommended 7-9 hours of sleep each night might be difficult, but your heart will thank you for each night of good sleep it can get.
What's the relationship between sleep and the heart?
- Studies have linked poor sleep to an increased risk for heart disease, stroke, hypertension, and heart attack.
- Short sleepers (less than 6 hours) have a 48% increased risk of developing or dying from coronary heart disease (CHD).
- Short sleepers also have a 15% greater risk of developing or dying from stroke.
Sleep disruptions lead to more health risks.
The body goes through several physiological cleaning processes while asleep, including glucose metabolism, blood pressure, and inflammation. When these processes are interrupted—from lack of sleep or a sleep disorder—you are missing out on these crucial cleanings and increase your risk for developing health issues.
Good sleep helps your heart reduce its workload.
Your heart rate and blood pressure go down when you sleep. The longer you have high quality, uninterrupted sleep, the longer your heart benefits from this reduced workload.
Untreated sleep apnea raises your risk for heart disease and stroke.
Sleep apnea—brief moments where you stop breathing while you sleep—has been directly linked to heart disease and stroke. The fix? Speak with a doctor about testing for sleep apnea and discuss ways to properly treat your apnea.
What can I do to help my heart?
Adopt healthy lifestyle habits: such as sleeping well, exercising daily, eating better, drinking in moderation, and not smoking.
Test for sleep disorders: untreated sleep disorders such as insomnia and obstructive sleep apnea can harm your heart, leading to deadly heart diseases and a lower quality of life.
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