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You don’t need a doctor to tell you that getting enough sleep affects how you feel. Sleeping badly — even for one night — can darken your mood and cause drowsiness and poor focus.
But did you know that poor sleep also affects your cardiovascular health?
Consistently bad sleep can increase your risk for obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes, and arterial plaque buildup. All of these conditions are bad for the heart.
Most adults need 7 to 9 hours of sleep each night. Teens and younger kids need even more.
But 1 in 3 adults don’t get enough sleep, according to the American Heart Association. And the average high schooler gets only 6.5 hours per school night.
Clarisse Glen, MD, a sleep specialist at Kaiser Permanente, describes how losing sleep can hurt the heart over time. She also offers tips on getting better sleep.
How does sleep affect the heart?
People who don’t get enough sleep or who wake up often can have increased heart rates and high blood pressure. In the long run, this can lead to a heart attack or other cardiac event. If you regularly sleep less than 6 hours a night, you have a significant risk of heart attack.
This is often seen in people with sleep apnea. People with this condition have pauses in their breathing during sleep that cause oxygen levels to drop. The oxygen dip causes inflammation that can make plaque build up in the arteries.
When you sleep, your body slows down and relaxes. Your blood pressure falls, and your heart is not working as hard as when you’re awake. This helps restore your mind and body.
Bad sleep also triggers your fight-or-flight response. This releases the hormone cortisol, which can increase your risk for heart disease. Lack of sleep can also activate hormones that cause overeating and a desire for higher-calorie foods. That can make you gain weight and eventually become obese, leading to heart problems.
How can you improve sleep hygiene for better rest?
Good sleep starts with good sleep habits, also called sleep hygiene. By helping you create a comfortable sleep environment and follow a consistent nighttime routine, these simple lifestyle changes can improve your sleep.
- Limit electronics use before bed, with no screens for an hour before bedtime. The blue light from electronics mimics daylight and can disrupt your sleep.
- Avoid scrolling on social media in bed or just before you go to sleep. It stimulates your brain and makes it hard to unwind.
- Create a consistent sleep and wake-up time. Get in and out of bed at the same times every day.
- Keep your bedroom cool, dark, and quiet.
- Don’t have stimulating substances such as caffeine at night. Have your last caffeinated drink at least 6 hours before bedtime.
- Avoid alcohol before going to sleep. Although it can make you sleepy initially, once your body metabolizes the alcohol, it will wake you up. Then it’s difficult to get back to sleep.
- Avoid drinking liquids 2 hours before bedtime. That will help reduce the need to use the bathroom during the night.
- Meditate or stretch before going to bed. These activities help relieve tension from the day and can help you fall asleep quicker.
Can sleep aids help with sleep?
We don’t recommend sleep aids such as melatonin or sleeping pills as a long-term solution for improving sleep. Our bodies develop a tolerance to them, and then they don’t work.
Can sleep problems be a sign of anxiety or depression?
Yes, in some cases, difficulty sleeping can be a symptom of mental health conditions such as depression or anxiety. If you think you’re experiencing one of these conditions, connect to mental health care.
When should you talk to your doctor about your sleep problems?
Contact your personal doctor if:
- You’re experiencing a lot of daytime sleepiness
- You have sleep apnea symptoms such as snoring, choking, or gasping for air during sleep
- You’ve been experiencing sleep disturbances, such as trouble falling asleep or staying asleep, for more than 8 weeks