Sleep less and Pros Can Damage the Heart

Get less sleep and excess sleep apparently had the same devastating effect on heart health. According to new research led by Dr. Rohit Arora, chief of cardiology of the Chicago Medical School.
Researchers found that sleeping too little can put people at higher risk of stroke, heart attack and congestive heart failure. On the other hand, people who sleep too much to have a higher prevalence of chest pain (angina) and coronary artery disease.
The plan of these findings will be presented on Sunday at the annual meeting of the American College of Cardiology in Chicago.

In his study, researchers analyzed data on more than 3,000 patients over the age of 45 years who participated in the U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey to look at the relationship between sleep duration and cardiovascular health.
The results showed that people who get too little sleep (less than 6 hours) were twice as likely to suffer a stroke or heart attack and 1.6 times more likely to have congestive heart failure. While those who slept more than eight hours a night, twice as likely to have angina and 1.1 times more likely to suffer from coronary artery disease.
These findings also have cardiac risk factors such as age, blood cholesterol levels, smoking and obesity, as well as for sleep apnea and other sleep problems.
Researchers noted, previous research has shown that sleep deprivation is associated with a hyperactive nervous system, glucose intolerance, diabetes, inflammation, stress hormones and increased blood pressure.
Regarding the relationship between sleep too long and the risk of heart problems is still not clear. According to researchers, more research needs to look at the relationship between the two.
"Doctors should start asking patients about their sleep habits, especially those at greater risk of heart disease," says Arora.
"It's really a simple matter to assess it as part of a physical examination. This method requires any cost and can help patients to adopt better sleep habits," he explained.
Although the new studies found an association between sleep problems and heart problems, this does not prove causality.

Source : Kompas.com