A Good Night’s Sleep May Decrease Risk of Cardiovascular Disease: Here’s Why

Cardiovascular diseases are those diseases that affect the cardiovascular system, otherwise known as the circulatory system. This system consists of veins, capillaries, arteries, and the heart. There are many conditions that are classified as cardiovascular diseases. Some of these include; heart attack, stroke, irregular heart rhythms/ arrhythmia, valve problems, etc. 

Alarmingly, cardiovascular diseases result in the greatest death rates all around the world despite the fact that these diseases can be prevented and are very much curable. However, the real question is that even after so much exposure and facilities provided why do cardiovascular diseases claim so many lives each year? 

Causes Of Cardiovascular Diseases. 

There can be many causes. In fact, the causes can differ greatly from person to person. For some, it may be an unhealthy lifestyle while for others it may be part of their genetic makeup. Now you must be wondering what about those who exercise daily, eat healthy, stay away from smoking and are genetically safe as well? 

There is one key factor that many of us ignore, and that is a good night’s sleep. In today’s day and age, each individual seems to be caught up in a whirlwind. May it be for work, or assignments, for social reasons or just for binge-watching shows or movies, we tend to ignore our sleep. 

The average adult requires 7- 8 hours of sleep each night whereas for teens the number goes up to 9-10 hours. Research suggests those who sleep less than that not only fail to function properly but also risk the development of cardiovascular diseases. 

How Is Sleep Connected To The Cardiovascular System?

Now sleeping late every now and then doesn’t hurt that much, however, if you make a habit out of it then it can pose a great risk to your health. Sleeping is essential for the body. It is possible for a human to die due to lack of sleep. What sleep really does is that it helps your body relax. When you are asleep your body deals with cell damage and regulates the levels of energy used. 

The body releases different types of hormones and also lowers stress levels. Stress is again one of the main psychological factors that can lead to cardiovascular diseases. During sleep, your body also lowers blood and heart rates. 

Not sleeping properly can lead to many adverse effects, for example, weight gain. The direct effect of lack of sleep is a lower metabolism rate, adding to that it may cause some people to overeat. Midnights snacks can be delightful, but if taken in excess they will lead you straight to the doctor’s office. 

Aside from weight gain, lack of sleep may also cause insulin resistance. Insulin resistance means that the cells are unable to effectively take up glucose which causes a higher blood sugar level. In turn, higher blood sugar levels can cause type 2 diabetes as well as other cardiovascular diseases. 

What Keeps You From Sleeping?

A research carried out in 2018 found that approximately 51% of the adults around the world get less sleep than required. For something that is a natural bodily function and necessary for the physical and mental wellbeing this percentage is disturbing. Unfortunately, numerous reasons contribute to this percentage.

The lack of sleep may be caused by medical reasons. Those who have suffered from insomnia, a sleeping disorder find it rather difficult to fall or stay asleep. Sometimes it is both. A recent research found that almost 75% of heart failure patients have also reported suffering from insomnia. This puts insomnia as the number one cause for heart failure. 

Another sleep disorder is sleep apnea. This condition causes your breathing to start and stop irregularly whilst you are asleep. This start and stop motion results in the patient abruptly waking from sleep. Therefore, it also contributes to the lack of proper rest and consequently also contributes to cardiovascular diseases.

Apart from these sleeping disorders, there are factors like technology that keep you up. The culprit to blame for your lack of sleep is most probably your own smartphone. Not only does it prevent you from sleeping by increasing neuron activity it also produces a stress hormone which further prevents you from sleeping.

Eating habits also contribute greatly to sleep loss. If you like eating sugary foods or having a cup of coffee right before you go to bed, then that will keep you tossing and turning all night. There are two ingredients you need to be wary of, namely caffeine and sugar. What caffeine and sugar do is provide a boost to your blood sugar levels, and that keeps you awake. 

Other factors of sleep loss include work. This is the case for most adults; from night shifts to staying late and overworking. Those who have a night shift or have too much work on their hands are often bound to work late making sleep a secondary priority. A lot of time procrastination also comes into play. People who leave work to the last minute also end up cutting down on sleep to complete their work.

How To Sleep Better? 

Although there are medical ways to treat insomnia with drugs like benzodiazepine hypnotics, however, there are nonmedical ways to treat this disorder as well, for example, relation, and breathing exercises and cognitive behavioral therapy. For sleep apnea, it is best to see the doctor as soon as possible. There are various medical procedures that can help cure this condition.

As for contributors like eating habits and work it is essential for you to make a change in your lifestyle. Staying away from sugary foods and coffee right before bed is guaranteed to give you a better quality of sleep. Although midnight snacks are fun be sure to not make a habit out of them otherwise those will also have major side effects on your health.

One of the best ways to ensure better sleep quality is to exercise. Exercise can also help alleviate insomnia and make falling asleep easier.