Many people think about diet, exercise, and smoking when they consider heart health. However, a new study from Yale School of Medicine shows that sleep may be just as important, and often overlooked.
The research suggests that poor sleep, especially when two common sleep problems happen together, can greatly increase the risk of heart disease and high blood pressure.
The study was published in the Journal of the American Heart Association. Researchers looked at data from nearly one million U.S. veterans after the 9/11 period. This large group allowed scientists to see clear patterns between sleep problems and heart health.
The researchers focused on two common sleep conditions. The first is insomnia, which makes it hard to fall asleep or stay asleep. People with insomnia often feel tired during the day and may struggle with concentration.
The second condition is obstructive sleep apnea. This happens when breathing repeatedly stops and starts during sleep. It can cause loud snoring, poor sleep quality, and frequent waking during the night.
Doctors often treat these two conditions separately. However, the study found that many people have both at the same time. When insomnia and sleep apnea occur together, the condition is called COMISA.
The results showed that people with both conditions had a much higher risk of developing high blood pressure and heart disease than those with only one sleep problem. This suggests that the combination of these issues puts extra stress on the body.
Sleep is a time when the body repairs itself. During good sleep, the heart rate slows down, blood pressure drops, and the body restores balance. When sleep is disturbed, this recovery process is interrupted. Over time, this can lead to long-term damage to the heart and blood vessels.
The researchers explain that repeated awakenings, poor sleep quality, and breathing interruptions prevent the body from getting enough deep rest. Without this rest, the cardiovascular system cannot function properly.
One important message from the study is that sleep problems should not be ignored. Many people think of poor sleep as a minor issue, but it can have serious effects over time.
The researchers also point out that current healthcare often focuses on treating heart disease after it develops. Instead, they suggest paying more attention to early risk factors like sleep. By identifying and treating sleep problems early, it may be possible to prevent serious conditions later in life.
If you care about sleep, please read studies about herb that could help you sleep well at night, and these drugs could lower severity of sleep apnea by one third.
For more health information, please see recent studies that coffee boosts your physical activity, cuts sleep, affects heartbeat, and results showing how to deal with “COVID-somnia” and sleep well at night.
Source: Yale School of Medicine.
