Disappointing news for those who don’t get enough sleep: Sleep problems increase the risk of heart attack and stroke.
Valeriy Gafarov, professor of cardiology at the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences, at the recent EuroHeartCare 2015 conference of the European Society of Cardiology in Croatia, shared the conclusions that he made in the course of a long-term study. The findings confirm that poor sleep should be seen as a risk factor for cardiovascular disease, along with smoking, physical inactivity and unhealthy diets, he said.
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Lack of sleep affects a huge number of people today, and this contributes to the development of various health problems such as obesity, diabetes, memory impairment and even cancer. And now we have new evidence that heart health is also at risk from lack of adequate rest.
Gafarov’s study, which began in 1994, became part of the World Health Organization’s program called “Multinational Monitoring of Trends and Determinants of the Development of Cardiovascular Diseases.” The study used a representative sample of 657 men between the ages of 25 and 64 to examine the relationship between poor sleep and the long-term risk of stroke or heart attack.
The researchers used the Jenkins Sleep Scale to assess the participants’ sleep quality. The categories “very bad”, “bad” and “insufficient” sleep categorized the degrees of sleep disturbances. Over the next 14 years, Gafarov observed each participant and recorded all cases of myocardial infarction during that time.
“So far, there has not been a single population cohort study examining the effects of sleep disturbances on the development of a heart attack or stroke,” he told the conference.
Резултати
In the study, nearly 63% of participants who experienced a heart attack also reported a sleep disorder. Men with sleep disorders had a 2 to 2,6 times higher risk of heart attack and a 1,5 to 4 times higher risk of stroke than those who did not experience problems with the quality of rest from the 5th to the 14th. years of observation.
Gafarov noted that such sleep disturbances are usually closely associated with feelings of anxiety, depression, hostility and exhaustion.
The scientist also found that many of the men with sleep disorders and an increased risk of heart attack or stroke were divorced, widowed, and had no higher education. Among these segments of the population, the risk of cardiovascular disease increased when problems with sleep appeared.
“Quality sleep is not an empty phrase,” he said at the conference. – In our study, it was found that its absence is associated with a double risk of heart attack and a fourfold risk of stroke. Poor sleep should be considered a variable risk factor for cardiovascular disease, along with smoking, physical inactivity and poor diet. For most people, quality sleep means 7 to 8 hours of rest each night. For people who have difficulty sleeping, I recommend consulting a doctor. “
Sleep isn’t just important for healthy energy levels, weight maintenance, and performance throughout the day. It keeps your heart healthy by helping you live a long, happy life. For sleep to be truly fulfilling, it is important to think about its quality. Make an effort – devote at least 30 minutes to getting ready for bed, make sure that the bedroom is cool, dark, quiet.
I wrote in more detail about how to fall asleep and get enough sleep faster in several articles:
Why quality sleep is the number one key to success
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