It’s widely known that important lifestyle factors like diet and exercise affect cardiovascular health. Sleep is one of those overlooked aspects of heart health that has only recently started to receive attention, says Victoria Bazanos, PhD, a nurse practitioner specializing in advanced heart failure cardiology at Loma Linda University’s International Heart Institute.
In celebration of American Heart Month in February, Bazanos outlines the connection between sleep and the heart and encourages better sleep to nourish the heart.
The relationship between sleep and the heart
In recent years, the American Heart Association has updated its “Seven Simple Things” predicting heart health (such as diet, smoking and cholesterol) to “Eight Essential Things,” adding sleep as a key indicator for improving and maintaining cardiovascular health.
“Sleep is something we take for granted,” says Bazanos. “We may think of it as free time that we can carve out when we need to get something done, rather than shifting our daily schedule and drawing boundaries to protect and prioritize rest.”
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But Bazanos says sleep is the time the body performs several important functions, from healing and repairing cells to strengthening the immune system. “When you take away that time, you’re robbing the body and all of its organs, including the heart, of time to heal itself.”
During sleep, your heart rate and blood pressure are typically lower than when you’re awake, reducing the strain on your heart and allowing it to rest. According to Bazanos, lowering your heart rate and blood pressure at night is good for your overall cardiovascular health. If your body doesn’t experience a nighttime drop in heart rate and blood pressure, some of the beneficial effects of sleep may be lost. Some studies suggest that healthy lifestyle choices, including adequate sleep time, can prevent up to 80% of cardiovascular diseases, such as heart attacks.
Lack of sleep increases stress hormones and raises blood pressure, heart rate, blood sugar and cholesterol, all of which contribute to cardiovascular disease. A study by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute found that adults who get seven to eight hours of sleep each night have lower rates of high blood pressure and obesity. Bazanos adds that sleep helps regulate hormones, including those that control hunger, and people who get five hours or less sleep each night have higher rates of obesity and diabetes, which are closely linked to poor cardiovascular health.
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According to Bazanos, lack of sleep may also lead to an increase in C-reactive protein, an inflammatory marker that is associated with the progression of atherosclerotic coronary artery disease.
Bazanos lists several sleep disorders that have clear links to cardiovascular health.
- According to the American Heart Association, persistent insomnia – the inability to fall asleep or stay asleep – increases your risk of cardiovascular disease by 45% and stroke by 54%.
- Sleep apnea is abnormal breathing that leads to reduced oxygen levels during sleep and is associated with increased incidence of high blood pressure, stroke, coronary artery disease and heart failure.
- Narcolepsy (excessive daytime sleepiness), although rare, can have serious effects on the cardiovascular system, including increased risk of high blood pressure, heart attack, heart failure, and stroke.
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She encourages people to become familiar with the symptoms of common sleep disorders and share their own experiences with their healthcare provider.
“Not getting enough sleep can set off a series of interconnected events that wreak havoc on the heart and other parts of the body,” Bazanos says. “Ensuring quality rest and sleep is one way to help combat these devastating chronic diseases, and it’s something everyone can do.”
Improving Heart Health Through Sleep
Adults need seven to nine hours of sleep each night, while children and adolescents need even more. To keep your heart healthy, Bazanos recommends establishing good sleep hygiene habits by:
- Keep a consistent bedtime. Going to bed and waking up at roughly the same time helps regulate your body’s internal clock, or circadian rhythm, which uses your sleep patterns to determine the best time to go to bed and wake up each night to get the most restful sleep.
- Avoid caffeine, alcohol, nicotine and heavy meals, especially before bedtime.
- Avoid screens: Turn off your screens about an hour before bedtime. Blue wavelengths of light emitted from LED-based devices increase the release of cortisol in the brain, which suppresses the release of the sleep hormone called melatonin, making us more awake and harder to fall asleep.
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Research is ongoing into the relationship between sleep and the heart, and Bazanos says one thing is clear: sleep is good for your heart.
“Sleep is fundamental to our health and the health of our entire body systems, including the heart,” she says. “If you have any questions or concerns, reach out to your care provider.”
