Sleep

In this fast paced world we live in we, as a population, are getting less and less sleep. The negative results from this are becoming more and more apparent to the healthcare community. Proper rest is critical to overall health and, most recently noted, to cardiovascular health.

One of the most important sleep studies, the Nurses' Health Study out of Harvard Medical School, found that insufficient or irregular sleep can lead to an increase in heart disease, colon cancer, breast cancer, and diabetes.

A multitude of studies suggest that sleep deprivation leads to an increase in the production of stress hormones, which leads to an increase in blood pressure. There is also an increased inflammatory reaction in the body which, which puts one at greater risk for heart disease, stroke, diabetes and cancer.

Most recently the December, 2008 Journal of the American Medical Association reported a study by the University of Chicago Medical Center which found that participants who slept an extra hour have 33% less risk of developing artery calcifications that can result in heart disease.

The study tracked coronary artery calcification in 500 middle aged U.S. adults over a five year period. Participants' arteries were scanned (CT) at the beginning of the study and after five years and the participants kept track of their sleeping habits. The study showed for every extra hour of sleep, the odds of artery calcification were decreased by 33%. Which means you can lower your risk of coronary calcification by getting extra sleep.

If you are having issues with sleep, talk to your health care provider about scheduling a consult with a sleep expert.

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Sleep

Watch - PAT 200 Step by step

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