Most people know that sleep helps us feel rested and alert, but many don’t realize how deeply connected sleep is to heart health.
In fact, sleep plays a major role in protecting the heart and preventing heart disease, which is the number one cause of death worldwide.
Research has shown that not getting enough sleep—or getting too much—can both increase the risk of heart problems. The ideal amount of sleep for most adults is between 7 and 9 hours each night.
When we sleep well, our heart and blood vessels get a much-needed break. During deep sleep, blood pressure drops and stress hormones decrease.
This gives the cardiovascular system time to rest and recover, helping to keep it healthy over the long term.
But when sleep is disturbed or cut short, the body doesn’t get this recovery time. As a result, stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline can stay high, raising both heart rate and blood pressure. Over time, this puts added strain on the heart and can increase the risk of conditions like high blood pressure, heart attacks, and even heart failure.
Sleep apnea is one example of how poor sleep can directly harm the heart. This condition causes breathing to stop and start repeatedly during sleep. Each time breathing is interrupted, oxygen levels in the blood drop, and the body responds by raising blood pressure and heart rate.
People with sleep apnea are more likely to suffer from heart rhythm problems, heart failure, and stroke. Treating sleep apnea with devices like CPAP machines can help improve sleep and reduce these risks.
Insomnia—trouble falling asleep or staying asleep—can also be harmful. Chronic insomnia keeps the nervous system in a constant state of alertness. This ongoing stress response can lead to consistently high blood pressure and heart strain. Over time, it wears out the body’s systems that help regulate blood flow and heart function.
Interestingly, the connection between sleep and heart health goes both ways. People with heart problems often find it hard to sleep. For example, someone with heart failure may wake up often during the night due to difficulty breathing or needing to use the bathroom.
Pain or discomfort from heart-related conditions can also make restful sleep hard to achieve. This creates a cycle where poor sleep leads to heart problems, and heart problems lead to poor sleep.
The good news is that improving sleep can improve heart health. Simple steps like keeping a regular sleep schedule, turning off screens before bed, reducing caffeine, and creating a quiet, dark, and cool sleeping space can all help.
For people with sleep disorders, getting proper treatment—such as using a CPAP machine for sleep apnea—can make a big difference not just for sleep, but for heart health too.
In summary, sleep is not just a way to rest—it’s a vital part of keeping the heart healthy. Getting enough quality sleep helps lower blood pressure, reduce stress, and support the entire cardiovascular system. If you have trouble sleeping, it’s important to talk to your doctor. Taking steps to improve your sleep could be one of the best things you do for your heart.
If you care about heart disease, please read studies that herbal supplements could harm your heart rhythm, and how eating eggs can help reduce heart disease risk.
For more health information, please see recent studies that apple juice could benefit your heart health, and results showing yogurt may help lower the death risks in heart disease.
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