“Sleep deprivation is an illegal torture method outlawed by the Geneva Convention and international courts, but most of us do it to ourselves” —Ryan Hurd
Despite how often we hear about the importance of quality sleep, the National Institutes of Health reports that between 7% and 19% of adults do not get enough of it, with 40% falling asleep during the day at least once a month.
Moreover, between 50 and 70 million Americans have chronic sleep disorders, which means that many people are driving, going to their offices, and working on tasks without having the energy and focus that good sleep can bring.
Quality sleep is also linked to heart health, and considering the fact that heart disease is the leading cause of death for men and women, it is only wise to think about how to make sleep a greater priority.
Poor Sleep Can Lead to a Significant Rise in Heart Disease Risk
A 2023 study undertaken in the UK found that poor sleep can increase one’s risk of heart disease and premature death for between two and seven years. The study looked into the sleep habits of over 300,000 middle-aged adults and found that sleep disturbances were linked to different durations of poor cardiovascular health later in life.
Specifically, men with clinical sleep-related breathing disorders lost nearly seven years of cardiovascular disease-free life compared to those without these problems and women lost over seven years. Problems that are strongly linked to heart disease include going to bed late, daytime sleepiness, insomnia, snoring, and more.
Poor Sleep Affects Blood Vessel Health
Research has shown that after just six weeks of shortened sleep, the cells lining blood vessels become flooded with damaging oxidants. This leads to cell inflammation and dysfunction, which is a step in the development of cardiovascular disease.
If you were wondering how the health of blood vessels was determined, the answer is optical coherence tomography—a high-resolution imaging procedure that is increasingly used in cardiology to produce detailed images of blood vessels. These images can show when cells are inflamed and dysfunctional—a state that can occur when sleep is lacking.
Just a few of the specific effects poor sleep has on blood vessels include impairment in the function of endothelial cells (which make up the lining of blood vessels) and blood vessel expansion (which can limit the delivery of blood).
Insufficient sleep also reduces levels of beneficial microRNAs, which regulate the proliferation of cells and maintain proper cellular function.
Timing Your Sleep Time Is Key
Most adults know that they should be getting between seven and nine hours of sleep every night, but not all times are equal, as found in a study published in the European Heart Journal — Digital Health. This study showed that the ideal time to hit the sack is between 10 pm and 11 pm, as this time is linked with a reduced chance of developing heart disease.
Study author David Plans of the University of Exeter explains, “The body has a 24-hour internal clock, called circadian rhythm, that helps regulate physical and mental functioning. While we cannot conclude causation from our study, the results suggest that early or late bedtimes may be more likely to disrupt the body clock, with adverse consequences for cardiovascular health.”
The study, which followed over 3,000 participants for almost six years, showed that the incidence of cardiovascular disease was highest in those with sleep times of midnight or later and lowest in those who went to bed between 10 pm and 11 pm.
What Can You Do if You Have Poor Quality Sleep?
If you have a diagnosed condition that interferes with your sleep quantity and quality, including insomnia and sleep apnea, seeking treatment under the guidance of a sleep specialist is key. Your physician may recommend the use of a special mask if you have sleep apnea, and recommend surgical or non-surgical solutions for issues like snoring.
They may also recommend simple lifestyle changes such as exercising daily, battling stress proactively through natural means such as mindfulness, and changes in your nutritional intake. For instance, it is best to avoid caffeine in the evening and to shut all screens at least half an hour before going to bed.
Most of the time, good sleep can be achieved by establishing a set routine and designing a sleep-friendly bedroom. The latter should be dark, cool, and completely silent since light and noise can make it hard to enjoy deep sleep.
Study after study has shown that poor sleep impacts health negatively. It does so in numerous ways, just one of which is through its effect on blood vessel health. To ensure that sleep issues aren’t impacting your heart health, see your physician if you have issues like snoring, daytime sleepiness, or sleep apnea.
