If you have a diagnosable sleep disorder, it’s especially important to address it, so that you can not only improve your sleep but also protect your heart health.
“Fragmented sleep is associated with worsened health outcomes, regardless of the cause of the fragmentation,” says Liberman.
Insomnia
Insomnia can include trouble falling asleep, waking up in the middle of the night, or waking too early in the morning. Family history, brain activity differences, certain medical conditions (like acid reflux), mental health conditions, habits and routines, and even life circumstances can all play a role in insomnia.
“Insomnia is linked to heightened sympathetic activity and inflammation, which may raise cardiovascular risk,” says Harneet Walia, MD, medical director of sleep medicine at Miami Cardiac and Vascular Institute, part of Baptist Health South Florida.
For people who have already experienced a heart attack or other coronary intervention, insomnia is associated with an increased risk of future cardiac events.
Your doctor can treat insomnia by helping you develop and practice good sleep habits, accessing your mental health, and prescribing medications that can help you fall asleep or stay asleep.
Restless Legs Syndrome
“Restless legs syndrome can cause frequent arousals and sleep fragmentation, which may also increase cardiovascular risk, though evidence is limited,” says Dr. Walia.
Sometimes, restless legs syndrome runs in families, and pregnancy or other hormonal changes can increase symptoms as well. It also sometimes occurs alongside iron deficiency. Treatment typically involves treating associated conditions like iron deficiency or taking medications that regulate calcium channels or increase dopamine in the brain.
Sleep Apnea
“These cycles increase inflammation, promote insulin resistance, and damage blood vessels,” says Cai. “Untreated OSA is linked to hypertension, atrial fibrillation, heart failure, and stroke.”
Fortunately, sleep apnea treatment can help, reducing a person’s risk of experiencing major cardiovascular events up by to 31 percent and lowering their risk of cardiovascular-related death by up to 47 percent.
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