Unlock The Power Of Sleep For Optimal Heart Health
However, insufficient sleep is a risk factor for unwanted cardiovascular events. Lack of sleep causes blood pressure to remain high for an extended period of time, increasing the risk of heart disease, heart attack, and heart failure.Sleep impacts the body’s relationship with the hormone insulin Trusted SourceNational Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)The NHLBI is the nation’s leader in the prevention and treatment of heart, lung, blood and sleep disorders.View Source , which helps blood sugar, or glucose, enter the body’s cells. The cells then use glucose as energy. Sleeping seven hours or more each night helps ensure blood sugar is regulated in the body Trusted SourceCenters for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)As the nation’s health protection agency, CDC saves lives and protects people from health threats.View Source .
Adults who get less than seven hours of sleep at night are at increased risk for Type 2 diabetes. Without enough sleep, the body’s resistance to insulin increases because cells are not able to use insulin appropriately, which leads to too much sugar Trusted SourceCenters for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)As the nation’s health protection agency, CDC saves lives and protects people from health threats.View Source in the bloodstream.Sleep is believed to help with memory and cognitive thinking. Brain plasticity theory, a major theory on why humans sleep, posits that sleep is necessary so the brain can grow, reorganize, restructure, and make new neural connections A lack of sleep can have a negative impact on the ability to think clearly, form memories, learn well, and function optimally during the day. The ability to think quickly slows down after only a week of insufficient sleep Trusted SourceMedscape ReferenceMedscape is on online destination for healthcare professionals worldwide, offering expert perspectives, drug and disease information, and professional education.View Source . Accuracy on tasks also decreases after a week of getting five hours of sleep or less each night. Sleep-deprived people perform poorly in activities that require quick responses and attention to multiple tasks, such as driving.
Insufficient sleep also impacts judgment. Less than five hours of sleep at night is correlated with riskier behavior. A sleep-deprived person is at higher risk of making poor decisions because they only have the ability to focus on a desired outcome, not the consequences.Restorative theories of sleep suggest that sleep restores and repairs the body, making people feel refreshed in the morning. During sleep, the body produces growth hormones necessary for development in children and adolescents. These growth hormones also repair tissues and cells in people of all ages. The body also produces cytokines during sleep, which support the immune system in fighting infections Trusted SourceNational Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)The NHLBI is the nation’s leader in the prevention and treatment of heart, lung, blood and sleep disorders.View Source .
Inadequate sleep can impact the body’s immune response to infection. Chronic sleep loss can make individuals more susceptible to common infections, such as a cold, while insufficient sleep over time can lead to a greater risk for immunodeficiency.Getting appropriate sleep each night can help manage stress Trusted SourceMedline PlusMedlinePlus is an online health information resource for patients and their families and friends.View Source . When people wake up refreshed, they avoid the stressors that come with functioning while sleep-deprived, such as poor performance, difficulty thinking clearly, and lack of energy. Quality sleep can also reduce anxiety, depression, and other mental health strains related to stress.Sleep is a key element of athletic recovery Trusted SourceUpToDateMore than 2 million healthcare providers around the world choose UpToDate to help make appropriate care decisions and drive better health outcomes. UpToDate delivers evidence-based clinical decision support that is clear, actionable, and rich with real-world insights.View Source , and the body’s production of growth hormones is highest during sleep. These growth hormones are necessary for the repair of tissue and likely contribute to muscle growth. Most athletes require eight hours of sleep each night for restoration and to avoid overtraining and improve their performance.
Without sleep, athletes are at risk for lowered performance, fatigue, and changes in mood. Performing with less sleep also heightens the risk for injury Trusted SourceNational Library of Medicine, Biotech InformationThe National Center for Biotechnology Information advances science and health by providing access to biomedical and genomic information.View Source . Quality sleep, in addition to exercise, stress management, and healthy eating choices, is an important part Trusted SourceCenters for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)As the nation’s health protection agency, CDC saves lives and protects people from health threats.View Source of maintaining a healthy weight. During sleep, the body naturally produces more of an appetite suppressor, called leptin, while reducing production of the appetite stimulant ghrelin. On nights of too-little sleep, however, production of ghrelin increases and leptin decreases. As a result, a lack of sleep can lead to a greater feeling of hunger.A regular sleep and wake routine helps the body keep a consistent internal clock Trusted SourceNational Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)The NHLBI is the nation’s leader in the prevention and treatment of heart, lung, blood and sleep disorders.View Source . Sleep experts recommend going to bed and getting up at the same time each day, including weekends.
Some adults like to nap during the day to avoid sleepiness. Keeping naps to about 20 minutes lessens fatigue without impacting sleep schedules. Naps that are too long can reduce alertness and defeat the purpose of napping. Individuals who choose to nap should avoid napping too late in the afternoon so that they can still fall asleep at their usual bedtime.
Eight Health Benefits of Sleep