EFN

It has been known for a long time that sleep and health go hand in hand, and getting an adequate amount of sleep per night allows the body to function properly for rest and repair. Now there seems to be a mysterious link between sleeplessness and heart disease.

Studies have been conducted that compare the amount of sleep obtained at night against development of calcification of coronary arteries, which can raise the risk of heart disease. Those who get less sleep are more likely to develop deposits of calcium in their arteries than those who get over seven hours of sleep a night. The studies do not prove a cause and effect situation, but the results do seem to link stress, the hormone cortisol, and lack of sleep with heart disease.

Another factor in developing heart disease is stress, which can increase blood levels of the hormone cortisol, and cause lack of sleep through anxiety. Lack of sleep may lead to keeping blood pressure levels higher, as they tend to dip lower when people sleep. Having reduced sleeping time will raise the average blood pressure over a 24 hour period. A conclusion was made that an extra hour of sleep at night reduces the odds of calcification in coronary arteries resulting in a gain that is comparable to lowering the systolic blood pressure by 17 mm of mercury.

The stress hormone cortisol affects heart arteries and can cause accumulation of dangerous abdominal fat. Diets containing particular pH balanced foods and exercise can be used to reduce cortisol levels, and to help get rid of that belly fat. The same diets can also reduce anxiety and increase sleep, so there does seem to be a mysterious link between sleeplessness and heart disease, as well as stress, cortisol, diet and exercise.

Women who take birth control pills or who are taking estrogen replacement are at risk for higher cortisol levels, and therefore increased chance of heart disease. Women who are on birth control may be likely to have a busy home with children and get less sleep because of home factors also. As people age, they tend to sleep lighter and get less sleep, and wake up during the night, so their sleep amounts can be less as well.

The recent research shows that the turning point for sleep needs appears to be that those who slept less than five hours a night were more likely to develop coronary artery calcification than those who were able to sleep seven hours or more nightly. The effects of cortisol hormone levels are cyclical throughout the day, rising during awake time and falling during sleep on a 24 hour cycle. The lowest levels occur at midnight, and highest at early morning, from 6am to 8am. This coincides with many heart attacks that occur in early morning.

Lack of sleep increases cortisol levels, and that in turn can increase the risk of heart disease over time. When coronary artery calcification blocks the artery, a heart attack can ensue. The pituitary gland increases its release of ACTH during any stress response, so increased physical stress or emotional stress, such as that occurring from anxiety or lack of sleep, and lack of body repair time during sleep, can jumpstart the heart disease problems.