Is insomnia related to the heart?
Did you know that quality sleep plays a crucial role in maintaining cardiovascular health?
According to the results of an analysis in the scientific journal Clinical Cardiology, people who sleep five hours or less a night are 69% more likely to have a heart attack than those who sleep between 7 and 9 hours a night.
This is because insomnia alters the neurohormonal axis, which involves the hypothalamus (the region of the brain that produces hormones) and the adrenal and pituitary glands. These produce hormones related to our daily activity and cortisol, known as the "stress hormone". Increased cortisol accelerates the formation of fatty plaques inside the arteries, which result in acute myocardial infarction.
It is worth noting that the World Health Organization (WHO) classifies cardiovascular diseases as the leading causes of death in Brazil and worldwide. These diseases encompass various conditions related to the cardiovascular system, including diseases of the heart, such as coronary artery disease, which can lead to heart attacks.
In addition, according to studies by the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz), the incidence of sleep-related illnesses, such as insomnia, affects around 72% of the Brazilian population.
But the significant numbers of people suffering from insomnia are not limited to Brazil. They extend worldwide, resulting in a new guideline from the American Heart Association (AHA), which now includes poor sleep quality as a risk factor for heart attacks.
The organization also recommends that adults sleep between 7 and 9 hours a night for good cardiovascular health, since it is during sleep that the body carries out repair and regulation processes that are essential for the health of the heart and blood vessels.
It's important to stress that the duration and quality of sleep are equally important factors. Even if you sleep an adequate amount of hours, if your sleep is interrupted, fragmented or of poor quality, to the point where you wake up tired and unwell, it can still have an impact on the regulation of cardiovascular risk factors. Therefore, improving your sleep routine is not just about the quality of your rest, but also about preventing these diseases.
The Brazilian Sleep Association (ABS) has listed guidelines to help you achieve quality sleep. Check them out:
. A warm bath 2 or 3 hours before bedtime can be beneficial to help you relax
. Try relaxation therapies such as deep breathing and meditation. They help to initiate and maintain sleep more easily
. Avoid long naps during the day. If you feel the need to rest, take just 30 minutes at lunchtime
. Take about 15 minutes in the morning to focus on the problems that plagued you at night. This can reduce night-time worries
. Avoid discussions and arguments early in the evening
. Limit the consumption of caffeine in coffee, tea, colas, chocolate, etc.
. Exercise regularly, but not close to bedtime
. Create a routine with a schedule for going to bed and getting up. This is a great ally for satisfactory sleep
. Avoid the use of substances such as cigarettes and alcoholic beverages.
. Keep the room dark and quiet, make the bed comfortable, avoid using screens in the room and keep the temperature comfortable
. Try herbal teas such as chamomile, fennel and lemon balm.
Each person is unique. It is therefore important to experiment and find out which strategies work best for you. If, even with the changes in habits, you don't achieve quality sleep, you should seek the advice of a specialized health professional for further investigation.
Want to know more about it? Check out the Biolab Cast episode where we invited experts to talk about the importance of quality sleep!
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