We all have experienced it – the sluggish feeling, tiredness, headache, and fatigue after a night of poor sleep. Often, we recover by turning in early the following night, or sleeping in over the weekend. But do you know that frequent lack of quality sleep can increase your risk of developing cardiovascular disease including heart attack?

Getting sufficient sleep is therefore crucial for keeping our heart healthy, in addition to regular exercise, a healthy diet, and low stress. Loss of sleep affects our heart health in both direct and indirect ways. It can be a symptom of an underlying heart condition. It can increase the risks for heart disease, or cause other diseases like type 2 diabetes and obesity which worsen heart conditions.

At Vascular Care Specialists of Los Angeles, Dr. Mathew Cheung and Dr. Peter Lin discuss the why quality sleep is important for your cardiovascular health. They discuss clinical studies which showed poor sleeping habit can lead to higher risks for cardiovascular disease. In this article, you will also learn how to improve your sleep which can lower your risk for cardiovascular disease.

A typical night sleep progresses through 4 to 6 sleep cycles, depending on individuals. Each sleep cycle is made up of 4 stages of sleep, including 3 NREM (non-rapid eye movement) stages, followed by 1 REM (rapid eye movement) sleep stage. The third stage of NREM sleep and REM sleep are known as deep sleep. During these stages, our breathing rate goes down, blood pressure normalizes, and heart rate slows. These changes remove stress from our heart so that it can recover from the strain that occurs during waking hours.

Sleep deprivation prevents us from getting sufficient deep sleep each night, when our body repairs itself, heals the blood vessels in our heart and restores its functions. Among people with sleep disorders such as insomnia, sleep apnea, blood pressure is observed to be at elevated levels throughout the night and the following day, which may lead to hypertension over time. In addition to an increase in blood pressure, sleep also affects our inflammation level and blood sugar. If we do not get quality sleep, the risks increase for various cardiovascular problems such as hypertension, stroke, and coronary artery disease.

A recent study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association shows maintaining a consistent sleep pattern may play an important role in preventing cardiovascular disease. Researchers found that falling asleep at different times or sleeping an inconsistent number of hours each night, even variations of more than two hours a night within the same week, were tied to developing hardened arteries, known as atherosclerosis.

Another recent study showed that people in midlife who have a having a combination of sleep problems — such as trouble falling asleep, waking up in the wee hours, or sleeping less than six hours a night — may nearly triple a person’s risk of heart disease. This study evaluated 7,483 adults in the United States Study who reported information about their sleep habits and heart disease history. They found that people with sleep problems was linked to a huge 140% increased risk of cardiovascular disease such as heart attack.

Because of the benefit of quality sleep, The American Heart Association recently added sleep to the list of factors that support optimal cardiovascular health. These factors include: 1. healthy diet, 2. not smoking or vaping, 3. being physically active, 4. getting adequate sleep, 5. controlling your blood pressure, 6. maintaining healthy levels of cholesterol and lipids, 7. maintain healthy blood sugar levels, and 8. maintain a healthy weight.

Scientists observe a 10-20% drop in blood pressure during the normal NREM deep sleep stage, a phenomenon known as nocturnal dipping. Those with sleep disruptions and lack of sleep experience non-dipping, which means that their blood pressure does not drop during sleep.  A study has shown poor sleep can lead to to increases the risk of high blood pressure, which may have serious consequences such as heart attack, stroke, coronary heart disease, or kidney failure.

Heart failure happens when the heart fails to pump and supply enough blood throughout the body, in many cases as a result of unmanaged hypertension. An observational study reported linkage between sleep deprivation and heart failure. This study also reported an increased risk of heart failure in those who sleep less than seven hours a day. The risk of heart failure was also found to be more common in people with unhealthy sleep behaviors like snoring, daytime sleepiness, and insomnia symptoms.

Atherosclerosis, which is hardening of the artery due to plaque buildup, can occur throughout your body which can lead to restricted blood flow. When this process affects the lower leg circulation, it is known as peripheral artery disease. When this process occurs in the heart, it is called coronary artery disease.  Lack of sleep and sleep disruptions are believed to contribute to atherosclerosis, possibly due to chronic inflammation in the body. Atherosclerosis interferes with normal blood flow, causing coronary heart disease. In severe cases heart attack happens when a coronary artery is completely obstructed.

A stroke occurs when the brain cells die from the lack of oxygen because of obstructed blood flow to the brain. A clinical study has found a correlation between loss of sleep and stroke. Insufficient sleep increases the risk of stroke by elevating blood pressure and contributing to plaque buildup.

As sleep is associated with the body’s healing and restoring abilities, it is crucial for keeping our heart safe. Improving sleep quality is crucial to improving our heart health. However, this is known to be easier said than done. We all have been there, lying in bed trying to sleep and unable to do so.

If you or your loved one have been struggling to get quality shut-eye time without success for a while, seeking medical help is recommended. Lack of sleep can be either a cause and a consequence of another medical condition. With a professional’s help, you will be able to check and treat any underlying medical causes that prevent you from getting a peaceful night’s sleep. In the case of primary insomnia (lack of sleep without an underlying cause), you may benefit from prescribed medications to help transit to a better sleep routine.

However, medications for sleep may have their limitations, such as dependency, and reduced effect over time. Therefore, lifestyle changes at home are essential to improve sleep quality and quantity in the long-term.

Below are four good lifestyle choices and sleep hygiene habits that are good for our slumber, which also means they are good for our heart:

A sleep-inducing environment contributes to a good night’s sleep. Electronics, extra lights, unwanted noise, late-night TV are among the public enemies of sleep. Bedroom should be sufficiently dark and at a comfortable temperature. Changing to fresh bed linens and pillow covers regularly can also help you sleep better. Also, you should only go to the bedroom to sleep when you are tired. Using the bedroom to work or lying in bed to watch TV can make the brain disassociate the sleep environment with sleep, making it harder for you to fall asleep when you want to.

Going to bed and waking up at the same time sets the body clock, helping you to fall and stay asleep better. Pre-sleep routine also includes activities to prime the body and brain for sleep, such as changing from work clothes to loose and comfortable sleepwear. Other helpful habits are reading a book for 30 minutes, listening to relaxing music, and taking a bath before bedtime. You should also consider taking a few minutes to de-stress, consider reading, journaling, meditating or listening to music to ease into a good night’s rest.

Regular exercise and physical activities during the day not only keeps our heart strong but also helps you fall asleep and stay asleep. 20-30 minutes of physical activity is recommended daily to boost sleep quality. However, avoid strenuous exercise late in the evening as it can take time for the body to switch to the relaxing state it needs before falling into sleep mode.

Heart patients can also exercise by performing relaxing activities such as light stretching, yoga, meditation or deep breathing.

Caffeine, nicotine and alcohol are known to be sleep disruptors. If you want to fall asleep by 10pm, stop having coffee by 2pm the same day. Alcohol may help you fall asleep quickly but it prevents you from entering the stage of deep sleep at night. Cut down or avoid them altogether for better quality sleep. Some people report having a glass of wine before bedtime helps them sleep better. This is not proven by research.

A bedroom free of light and technology will equate to better sleep, so keep your phone and other devices away from the bed. Try logging off your electronic devices at least an hour before bedtime.

Stick to specific times to go to bed and wake up each day and commit to a consistent sleep schedule as much as possible. Along with a wake-up alarm, try a bedtime alarm to indicate it’s time to start winding down.

We hope the article highlights the connection between sleep problems and an increase in the risk for various heart diseases. By improving our sleep quality, we can protect our heart health, reducing our risk factors for high blood pressure, coronary heart disease, heart failure, stroke, among other chronic conditions. As there is no silver bullet solution, improving our sleep routine can be achieved by getting necessary medical help and making lifestyle modifications at the same time.

At Vascular Care Specialists of Los Angeles, we strive to provide the best service, care, and results possible. If you have circulation problem related to your arteries or veins and would like to seek consultation with a vascular surgeon, give us a call at 626-275-9566 to schedule an appointment. You can also visit us at www.vcsla.com for more information.