Lack of sleep favors stroke & heart attack

Lack of sleep favors the risk of strokes and heart attacks

02/11/2011

Lack of sleep brings with it many significant health risks. Regularly less than six hours of sleep increases the risk of obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease, experts warn.

Enduring sleep deprivation increases the body's own production of hormones and chemicals that increase blood pressure and cholesterol, promote obesity, and increase the risk of heart attack and stroke, according to researcher Francesco Cappuccio of the English University of Warwick current edition of the „European Heart Journal“

Lack of sleep increases the risk of fatal heart attacks
Researchers at Warwick Medical School have studied the sleep duration of 470,000 people from eight countries as part of a comprehensive, long-term study, and then observed participants' health development over a seven to 25-year period. Their analysis has confirmed many of the sleep-related health risks identified in previous studies, as well as an increased risk of stroke, heart attack and other cardiovascular disease, study director Francesco Cappuccio said. „People who sleep less than six hours a night or suffer from frequent sleep interruptions, whose risk increases by 48 percent to die of heart disease“, so the statement of the expert. In addition, there is a 15 percent increased risk of stroke with appropriate lack of sleep, said Cappuccio.

Experts recommend seven hours of sleep
Warwick Medical School experts recommend at least seven hours of sleep per night to reduce the risk of chronic illness. „Get the sleep you need to stay healthy and live longer“, emphasized the study director Francesco Cappuccio. However, the researchers point out that too much sleep is not healthy and those who sleep more than nine hours at a time daily, may suffer from another disease. The suggestion that seven hours of sleep are important to health is certainly useful for those who are willing to go to bed late and get up early. However, around ten percent of Germans suffer from high-grade sleep problems such as difficulty sleeping and staying asleep. Those affected would like to sleep more, but they can not. Mental complaints and personal stress, followed by pain and noise, are the country's most prevalent causes of significant sleep deficits in the population.

Sleep disorders widely used in Germany
After the health report of the German Employees Health Insurance (DAK) has noted a significant increase in sleep disturbances in the population last year, recommended the President of the Sleep Congress, Svenja Happe, those affected, measures such as autogenic training or muscle relaxation exercises while maintaining a strict „sleep hygiene“ to use. It was under „sleep hygiene“ For example, understanding of regular bed times, no longer taking daytime naps (not more than 30 minutes), and heavy meal before bed, according to the expert. With the use of sleeping pills, however, should be handled with care, as they can bring with regular consumption sometimes significant side effects. At the presentation of the health report, the DAK experts emphasized that sleep problems should be medically examined if they last longer than one month, occur at least three times a week or have a negative impact on work and private life. In addition to the aforementioned relaxation exercises, from a naturopathic point of view, manual therapies (for example, craniosacral therapy) are also available to rebalance the nervous system. In addition, in natural medicine - instead of the widely used sleeping pills - recommended before going to bed baths and teas with soothing herbs such as valerian, lemon balm or lavender. (Fp)

Also read:
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More and more suffer from sleep disorders
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Stress at work increases heart attack risk
Valerian & L-tryptophan: approaches to sleep disorder

Image: Gerd Altmann / Photoshop Graphics