Irregular and poor sleep patterns can increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, according to a study published February 15 in the journal American Heart Association. The study concluded that there is an association between irregular sleep, especially irregular sleep duration, with atherosclerosis, and that regular sleep may reduce the risk of atherosclerosis.
network quotes CNN “This study is one of the first investigations to provide evidence of a link between irregular sleep duration and timing and atherosclerosis,” said one of the study’s authors, Kelsey Voll, assistant professor at Vanderbilt University.
And according to the site Mayo Clinic Atherosclerosis occurs when the blood vessels that carry oxygen and nutrients from the heart to the rest of the body (the arteries) become thick and stiff, sometimes preventing blood flow to organs and tissues. The healthy arteries are flexible and soft. But over time, the walls of the arteries may harden, a disease commonly called atherosclerosis.
Atherosclerosis is the buildup of fats, cholesterol and other substances in and on the walls of your arteries. These build-ups are known as plaques. These plaques can narrow the arteries and block blood flow. These plaques can also break off, causing a blood clot.
CNN points out that atherosclerosis can lead to cardiovascular diseases, including coronary heart disease, angina, heart attacks and strokes.
Poor sleep, including poor quality, insufficient time and interrupted sleep, has been linked to cardiovascular disease and cardiovascular disease-related deaths before, but little was known about the specific associations between sleep regularity and atherosclerosis, according to the study.
The study authors explain that sleep regularity is estimated by differences in sleep duration (how long a person sleeps each night) and sleep timing (the time a person sleeps at night), and the fewer the differences, the better.
After assessing the cardiovascular health of the study participants, the researchers found that those who had irregular sleep periods, which ranged from 90 minutes to more than two hours in a week, were about 1.4 times more likely to have high coronary artery calcium scores. compared to those who had more consistent sleep durations. The first group was also more likely to have carotid plaques and abnormal results from a test assessing vascular sclerosis, according to CNN.
“These results suggest that maintaining a regular or habitual sleep schedule, or sleeping the same total amount of time each night, may play an important role in preventing cardiovascular disease,” Voll said.
And CNN quoted the opinion of experts who were not involved in the study as well, and it was found that people who suffer from lack of sleep or irregular patterns tend to have less healthy patterns in their lives such as diet and physical activity. Sleep is important for the heart to rest, because when you sleep, the rate slows down. The heart beats and blood pressure drops normally. Without this regular rest, the heart and blood vessels become stressed over time.
According to them, adults should get seven to nine hours of sleep each night, in addition to going to bed at the same time each night, getting up at the same time each day, avoiding caffeine after late in the morning, avoiding screen use before bed and sleeping in a dark room. And quiet and cool.