Do Your Sleep Habits Help or Hurt Your Heart?
Do Your Sleep Habits Help or Hurt Your Heart?
You want your heart to be at its best, so you work out, watch what you eat, and keep up with your medical care. That’s great, but there’s something else to put on your list. And you can do it with your eyes shut -- literally.
It’s sleep. And it matters a lot to your heart.
Physical Side Effects of Oversleeping
When it comes to sleep, can you have too much of a good thing? It's true a good night's sleep is essential for health. But oversleeping has been linked to a host of medical problems, including diabetes, heart disease, and increased risk of death.Researchers are careful to note, however, that two other factors -- depression and low socioeconomic status -- are strongly associated with oversleeping. Those two factors may be the reason for the observed negative health effects. For example, people of...
Read the Physical Side Effects of Oversleeping article > >
When you sleep, your blood pressure and your heart rate go down, giving your ticker a much-needed break. “It’s like you put your body in airplane mode,” says Atlanta cardiologist David E. Montgomery, MD.
When you stay awake, your heart works overtime.
Montgomery says that when you don’t sleep, your body goes into fight-or-flight defense mode. Adrenaline raises your heart rate and blood pressure.
Over time, that wear and tear makes heart disease more likely.
If you put off bedtime or can’t fall asleep, your body prepares itself for the long haul by demanding energy in the form of high-calorie foods.
Think about it: When you stayed up late to study or party, you got hungry, right? What foods did you crave?
“The foods with the most energy, the most fat,” Montgomery says. “Burritos, hamburgers, and french fries. The more of that you do, or if you do it on a regular basis, you gain weight. When you gain weight, you predispose yourself to high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and high blood sugar -- all risks for heart disease.”
The right amount of sleep varies by age. You generally need less as you age. Montgomery recommends:
Getting fewer than 6 hours of shut-eye night after night is risky. In one study, people over the age of 45 who got less than 6 hours of sleep a night doubled their chances for stroke or heart attack and were also more likely to have heart failure.
The same study found that adults over age 45 who slept more than 8 hours per night were twice as likely to have severe chest pains (angina) and also more prone to have coronary artery disease.
It’s sleep. And it matters a lot to your heart.
Recommended Related to Sleep Disorders
Physical Side Effects of Oversleeping
When it comes to sleep, can you have too much of a good thing? It's true a good night's sleep is essential for health. But oversleeping has been linked to a host of medical problems, including diabetes, heart disease, and increased risk of death.Researchers are careful to note, however, that two other factors -- depression and low socioeconomic status -- are strongly associated with oversleeping. Those two factors may be the reason for the observed negative health effects. For example, people of...
Read the Physical Side Effects of Oversleeping article > >
When you sleep, your blood pressure and your heart rate go down, giving your ticker a much-needed break. “It’s like you put your body in airplane mode,” says Atlanta cardiologist David E. Montgomery, MD.
When you stay awake, your heart works overtime.
You, Without Sleep
Montgomery says that when you don’t sleep, your body goes into fight-or-flight defense mode. Adrenaline raises your heart rate and blood pressure.
Over time, that wear and tear makes heart disease more likely.
If you put off bedtime or can’t fall asleep, your body prepares itself for the long haul by demanding energy in the form of high-calorie foods.
Think about it: When you stayed up late to study or party, you got hungry, right? What foods did you crave?
“The foods with the most energy, the most fat,” Montgomery says. “Burritos, hamburgers, and french fries. The more of that you do, or if you do it on a regular basis, you gain weight. When you gain weight, you predispose yourself to high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and high blood sugar -- all risks for heart disease.”
How Much Sleep Do You Need?
The right amount of sleep varies by age. You generally need less as you age. Montgomery recommends:
- Young children: 12 hours or more
- Teenagers: Around 9 hours
- Adults: 7 to 8 hours
- Seniors: At least 6 hours
Getting fewer than 6 hours of shut-eye night after night is risky. In one study, people over the age of 45 who got less than 6 hours of sleep a night doubled their chances for stroke or heart attack and were also more likely to have heart failure.
The same study found that adults over age 45 who slept more than 8 hours per night were twice as likely to have severe chest pains (angina) and also more prone to have coronary artery disease.
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