Erratic Sleep Creates Heart Health Risk

6/25/2021

Stay on schedule with a full night’s sleep for your best physical and mental health

PALMER – We’ve all experienced the tiredness and lack of clarity that comes from a sleepless night, but a study published last year by the Journal of the American College of Cardiology Foundation found that sleep schedule inconsistency is also a risk factor for heart disease. Rodney Badger, MD, an interventional cardiologist with Mat-Su Heart, is making sure patients know how important it is to establish a regular pattern for going to bed and waking up.

The cardiovascular system exhibits strong circadian rhythms, biochemical, physiological and behavioral processes that rise and fall during the 24-hour day, to maintain normal functioning. The sleep/wake cycle is another circadian rhythm and the study found individuals with the most irregular sleep duration or timing were more than twice as likely to develop cardiovascular disease than those who had the most regular sleep patterns. Physicians are now focusing more attention on recommending sufficient sleep to patients as a heart health prevention action, in addition to physical activity and healthy eating habits.

“We’re long-known that adequate sleep is the foundation of good health. Now, more research is bearing out the far-reaching, detrimental consequences that insufficient sleep produces,” said Badger.

An occasional night of tossing and turning is normal and has no long-term implications, Badger added. “When you habitually don’t get enough sleep over the course of weeks or months, and even years, it eventually catches up with you and your health deteriorates,” he said. “Chronic poor or insufficient sleep has a way of manifesting itself in uncomplimentary ways.”

Insufficient sleep and irregular sleeping patterns can be contributing factors to higher blood pressure, disregulated blood lipids and insulin resistance that can lead to diabetes. Insufficient sleep can affect your body in other ways too.

• Immune functioning is compromised as your body produces fewer antibodies so you’re more likely to get sick and the body has fewer resources to stave off illness, including cancers.
• Impulse control and appetite hormones can become unbalanced, promoting overeating and obesity.
• Mental functioning can be less for problem solving, reasoning, organizing, planning and executing plans.
• Learning is affected in all stages – your ability to encode new information, to consolidate and absorb the information and make new connections, and ability to remember and retrieve the information.

The National Sleep Foundation has identified that from age 18 to 64 we need 7 to 9 hours of sleep, and at 65 or older we need 7 to 8 hours of sleep. Children and teens require more hours.

This time is needed so the body can perform a number of vital functions that support the health of your body and brain. Three primary functions are repairing tissue, fighting off infection and processing memories of experiences from your day.

“Quality of sleep is just as critical,” Badger said. “Many people have well-regulated schedules and go to bed at the same time each day, yet they don’t realize their quality of sleep is poor. If you continually wake up tired or get drowsy while driving or sleepy during the day, these could be signs of a sleep disorder, such as sleep apnea,” he said.

Many things can trigger sleep difficulties, including stress, sleep apnea and chronic insomnia. Insomnia is often a symptom of stress or anxiety disorders that can make it difficult to relax enough to fall asleep and sleep soundly. Your physician can help diagnose whether you could benefit from medication or behavioral therapy or if a thorough sleep study is needed.

“We’re fortunate here in the Mat-Su Valley to have an excellent Sleep Disorder Center at Mat-Su Regional,” Badger said. “Our clinic (Mat-Su Heart) works with the sleep center staff to help diagnose and treat our patients who may have a sleep disorder that is contributing to a heart condition.”

In addition to on-site, overnight sleep lab studies, the Mat-Su Regional Sleep Disorders Center provides in-home sleep studies. A physician referral is required for a sleep study, Badger said.

For a heart care appointment with Dr. Badger, contact Mat-Su Heart at (907) 861-6700 or request an appointment at MatSuMedicalGroup.com. For more information on the Sleep Disorders Center, call (907) 352-2822.

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