Irregular, insufficient sleep makes you vulnerable to heart diseases | Health - Hindustan Times
close_game
close_game

Irregular, insufficient sleep makes you vulnerable to heart diseases

PTI | By, Washington
Jun 08, 2016 07:20 PM IST

Not sleeping sufficiently or at regular intervals may enhance your risk of developing heart diseases, more so if you work in shifts, warn researchers.

Not sleeping sufficiently or at regular intervals may enhance your risk of developing heart diseases, more so if you work in shifts, warn researchers.

Body’s involuntary processes may malfunction in shift workers and other chronically sleep-deprived people, and may lead to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease.(Shutterstock)
Body’s involuntary processes may malfunction in shift workers and other chronically sleep-deprived people, and may lead to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease.(Shutterstock)

The body’s involuntary processes may malfunction in shift workers and other chronically sleep-deprived people, and may lead to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, according to researchers from Northwestern University in the US.

Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now.

Insufficient sleep and circadian rhythm disturbances both have been associated with adverse cardiovascular outcomes but the cause is unclear.

To determine the impact of circadian rhythm disturbances on cardiovascular function in sleep-deprived people, researchers studied 26 healthy people, aged 20-39.

The study participants were restricted to five hours of sleep for eight days (sleep restriction) with either fixed bedtimes (circadian alignment) or bedtimes delayed by 8.5 hours on four of the eight days (circadian misalignment).

Read: Soak up the sun this vacation, it can really lower heart disease risk

Researchers found sleep restriction combined with delayed bedtimes when compared to sleep restriction without delayed bedtimes was associated with an increased heart rate during the day for both fixed bedtimes and delayed bedtimes groups.

It was even more so at night when sleep restriction was combined with delayed bedtimes.

Participants also experienced reduced heart rate variability at night; an increase in 24-hour urinary norepinephrine excretion in the sleep restricted and delayed bedtimes group; and reduced vagal activity related to heart rate variability during deeper sleep phases (NREM), researchers said.

These deeper sleep phases have a restorative effect on cardiovascular function in normal individuals.

Norepinephrine is a stress hormone that can constrict blood vessels, raise blood pressure and expand the windpipe.

Read: Family with history of heart disease indicates cholesterol risk in kids

The vagal nerve’s main effect on the heart is the lowering of heart rate, researchers said.

“In humans, as in all mammals, almost all physiological and behavioural processes, in particular the sleep-wake cycle, follow a circadian rhythm that is regulated by an internal clock located in the brain,” said Daniela Grimaldi from Northwestern University.

“When our sleep-wake and feeding cycles are not in tune with the rhythms dictated by our internal clock, circadian misalignment occurs,” said Grimaldi.

Researchers said insufficient sleep is particularly common in shift workers, who represent 15 percent to 30 percent of the working population in industrialised countries.

“Our results suggest shift workers, who are chronically exposed to circadian misalignment, might not fully benefit from the restorative cardiovascular effects of nighttime sleep following a shift-work rotation,” said Grimaldi.

The findings were published in the journal Hypertension.

Follow @htlifeandstyle for more.

Oscars 2024: From Nominees to Red Carpet Glam! Get Exclusive Coverage on HT. Click Here

Catch your daily dose of Fashion, Health, Festivals, Travel, Relationship, Recipe and all the other Latest Lifestyle News on Hindustan Times Website and APPs
SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
Share this article
SHARE
Story Saved
Live Score
OPEN APP
Saved Articles
Following
My Reads
Sign out
New Delhi 0C
Friday, March 29, 2024
Start 14 Days Free Trial Subscribe Now
Follow Us On