Summary of A Hidden Hazard – How Poor Sleep Can Impact Your Long-Term Heart Health:
A recent study conducted by researchers from the University of Sydney and Southern Denmark University has found that poor sleep may result in an increased risk of heart disease, which could last anywhere from two to seven years and may even lead to premature death. The study analyzed data from more than 300,000 middle-aged adults in the UK Biobank. It revealed that even general poor sleep, such as insufficient sleep, insomnia complaints, snoring, going to bed late, and daytime sleepiness, is associated with a loss of around two years of normal heart health in men and women. The study highlights the importance of recognizing sleep as a vital factor in public health policy and addressing poor sleep to maintain heart health.
*****
Poor Sleep Linked to Increased Risk of Heart Disease and Premature Death
A recent study conducted by researchers from the University of Sydney and Southern Denmark University has found that poor sleep may result in an increased risk of heart disease, which could last anywhere from two to seven years and may even lead to premature death. The study’s findings, which analyzed data from more than 300,000 middle-aged adults in the UK Biobank, revealed that compared to individuals who have healthy sleep patterns, those who experience disturbances in their sleep are linked to varying periods of poor cardiovascular health later in life.
Disturbed Sleep Can Cause Cardiovascular Diseases and Premature Death
Sleep-related breathing disorders can result in up to seven years of compromised cardiovascular health. Men with clinical sleep-related breathing disorders lost nearly seven years of cardiovascular disease-free life compared to those without these conditions, and women lost over seven years. Even general poor sleep, such as insufficient sleep, insomnia complaints, snoring, going to bed late, and daytime sleepiness, is associated with a loss of around two years of normal heart health in men and women.
Warnings Signs of Potential Health Issues
This means that snoring and trouble falling asleep or staying asleep can be warning signs of potential health issues in the future. The team used an established composite sleep score comprising self-reported sleep duration, insomnia complaints, snoring, daytime sleepiness, and whether the person was a night owl or an early bird to come up with three sleep categories: poor, intermediate, and healthy at age 40, and compared this with their overall cardiovascular disease-free health expectancy.
The Importance of Recognizing Sleep as a Vital Factor in Public Health Policy
“Sleep apnoea is well known to increase the risk of cardiovascular disease and other chronic conditions, but these findings are a wake-up call that poor sleep, in general, can pose a significant risk to heart health,” said Professor Emmanuel Stamatakis from the Charles Perkins Centre and Faculty of Medicine and Health, senior author of the paper in BMC Medicine. Professor Peter Cistulli, the ResMed Chair of Sleep Medicine at the Charles Perkins Centre and Royal North Shore Hospital, said these findings are significant because they extend the results of previous studies linking poor sleep to important health outcomes. It’s gratifying that these findings highlight the importance of sleep and the need for it to be recognized as a pillar of good health, alongside physical activity and nutrition. “Sleep is a vital biological function under-appreciated in public health policy. The time is right to ensure that sleep is recognized in public health policy,” said Professor Cistulli.
Conclusion
The study highlights the importance of recognizing sleep as a vital factor in public health policy and addressing poor sleep to maintain heart health. While cardiovascular diseases are a leading cause of death worldwide, they can often be prevented or managed through lifestyle changes, medications, and medical procedures such as bypass surgery and angioplasty. Therefore, it is crucial to identify sleep-related disorders early and take proactive steps to address them to improve heart health and overall well-being.
Comments are closed