Irregular Sleep May Increase The Risk Of Heart Problems

A good night’s sleep is essential for overall good health. However, it is not only important to sleep a certain number of hours. Regularity in sleep schedules is also very important. In this article, we explain the relationship between irregular sleep and an increased risk of heart problems.

What are heart problems?

Cardiovascular diseases are a group of different diseases that affect the heart and blood vessels. They are the leading cause of death worldwide. This means that more people die each year from one of these diseases than from any other cause.

In addition, our lifestyle and the evolution of society mean that more and more people are suffering from one of these conditions. They are a major public health problem.

Many studies are being conducted to clearly identify the factors that contribute to the risk of heart problems (Spanish link), so that action can be taken. Some examples of cardiovascular disease include:

• Arterial hypertension (high blood pressure)
• Heart attack
• Stroke
• Heart failure

How important is sleep?

As we mentioned, good sleep, as well as eating right and doing other daily activities, is essential for maintaining good health. Not resting properly has negative consequences, both psychologically and physically.

During sleep we let our mind and body rest. Our whole body takes a rest to recharge one hundred percent for the next day. Continued poor rest causes us to accumulate fatigue and stress, which will prevent our body from performing all its functions properly.

All this means that if the situation lasts for a long time and our body does not work as it should, the risk of developing certain diseases increases. This mainly includes:

• psychological conditions such as stress or depression.
• physical illnesses such as cardiovascular disease and metabolic problems.

What does it mean to say that sleep is irregular?

When we talk about a bad night’s sleep, we mean more than just a certain number of hours of no sleep. What are we talking about then? Irregular sleep also affects the quality of our sleep and our biological rhythms.

If the number of hours we sleep varies widely from one day to the next, or if we go to bed and get up at different times in the morning, our sleep will be irregular. Irregular sleep means our bodies can’t get used to a resting routine, our circadian rhythms get disrupted, and the body doesn’t perform as it should.

Does irregular sleep contribute to the risk of heart problems?

Researchers at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston conducted a study in which they examined men between the ages of 60 and 70 with no previous history of heart problems.

To do this, they gave each participant a tracking monitor, which they wore on their wrist. The monitors sent reports to the researchers about the participants’ bedtime, sleep duration, and wake time.

Based on this information, they analyzed which participants had had a heart problem and linked this to their sleep patterns. The researchers found that the risk of heart problems was more than twice as high in participants who did not have a regular amount and quality of sleep.

Good rest protects against heart problems

When it comes to preventing and treating cardiovascular disease, we often focus on diet, exercise and medication. However, we often forget such a fundamental and simple factor as a good night’s sleep.

Studying patients at risk for heart problems, taking into account their type of sleep and correcting it with certain measures, can therefore help prevent many of these diseases. Nevertheless, researchers are still working on new studies to increase our knowledge about this.