Impact on Cardiovascular Health: Sufficient Physical Activity May Not Counterbalance Poor Sleep Quality Effects
Poor Sleep Quality May Accelerate Heart Health Concerns
Researchers from Uppsala University have found that a mere three nights of insufficient sleep can impact heart health negatively. This revelation came from a study where participants underwent sessions of poor sleep and healthy sleep, with biomarkers being assessed afterward.
The investigation, a crossover study, demonstrated that biomarkers associated with inflammation and heart health increased following three consecutive nights of poor sleep. As per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, adults are advised to get at least seven hours of sleep per night. However, factors such as stress and health issues often impede this recommendation.
Short-term sleep deprivation may lead to various health issues, such as worsening mental health and accelerated brain aging. This research sheds light on how rapidly the body can start reacting adversely to poor sleep.
The study, conducted with 16 young men with healthy weights, involved two sessions, each lasting three nights in a sleep lab. During one session, the participants underwent restricted sleep (approximately 4.25 hours) compared to the second session where they experienced normal sleep (around 8.5 hours on average). The researchers collected and analyzed 88 proteins related to cardiovascular disease during each session.
The results revealed that short-term sleep restriction caused modifications in the participants' biomarkers. Specifically, these changes included increased levels of proteins linked to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. When the participants engaged in high-intensity exercise, it helped but did not completely offset the effects of three nights of poor sleep.
"This biomarker-based study found changes in blood chemistry associated with inflammation after a few nights of sleep restriction," said Cheng-Han Chen, a board-certified interventional cardiologist. The findings suggest a potential biological mechanism through which poor sleep can impact overall health.
Remarkably, the study's findings were "not entirely surprising" according to Chen, as poor sleep can impact numerous health aspects, including cardiovascular health, endocrine function, and immune functioning.
To improve sleep quality and reduce the risk of triggering harmful proteins related to sleep restriction, experts recommend maintaining a consistent sleep schedule and bedtime routine, avoiding caffeine and alcohol late in the day, minimizing the use of electronic devices before bedtime, limiting long daytime naps, exercising regularly, and following a healthful diet.
Further research will aim to determine the impacts of short-term sleep restriction on older adults and women. As Harneet Walia, the medical director of sleep for Miami Cardiac & Vascular Institute, stated, "the findings add meaningful evidence to the growing literature suggesting that sleep duration directly affects cardiovascular health."
- Poor sleep quality, as demonstrated in the study, can increase biomarkers associated with inflammation and heart health, potentially leading to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease.
- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advises adults to get at least seven hours of sleep per night, but factors such as stress and other health conditions often impede this recommendation.
- Short-term sleep deprivation can result in various health issues, including worsening mental health, accelerated brain aging, and adverse effects on cardiovascular health.
- The investigation, which involved young men with healthy weights, found that short-term sleep restriction caused modifications in the participants' biomarkers, including increased levels of proteins linked to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease.
- To improve sleep quality, experts recommend maintaining a consistent sleep schedule and bedtime routine, avoiding caffeine and alcohol late in the day, minimizing the use of electronic devices before bedtime, limiting long daytime naps, exercising regularly, and following a healthful diet.
- Further research will aim to determine the impacts of short-term sleep restriction on older adults and women, as these groups may be particularly at risk due to their unique medical-conditions and health-and-wellness needs, such as nutrition and mental-health considerations.
