Good health is a top priority for many women. A good night’s sleep can help you feel refreshed and rejuvenated, essential to your heart’s well-being. Unfortunately, in today’s world, with work, family obligations, and other things on our plate, it can be not easy to get the recommended seven hours of sleep each night. Research shows that only one in three adults gets enough rest each night (National Sleep Foundation). However, if you want to improve your cardiovascular health, you need to ensure that you are getting enough quality sleep every night. The National Heart Lung and Blood Institute recommends at least seven hours of uninterrupted sleep per night for healthy individuals (NHLBI).
Bedtime linked with heart health
Getting a good night’s sleep is something that many people struggle with. It may be due to stress, anxiety, or even insomnia. While it might seem like just another excuse for not getting enough rest, researchers have found an association between poor sleeping habits and heart health issues. So if you want to avoid heart disease, you should know more about how sleep affects the cardiovascular system.
The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) recently released information on how lack of sleep can impact cardiovascular disease. A study was conducted to measure the effects of not sleeping enough on blood pressure and cholesterol levels in participants between 30 and 60 years old with no history of high blood pressure or coronary artery disease. The results showed that poor sleep quality significantly increased systolic blood pressure, LDL cholesterol levels, triglycerides levels, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference measurements, and insulin resistance while decreasing HDL cholesterol levels. These findings add to the growing evidence suggesting the importance of healthy sleep habits for maintaining cardiovascular health.
What is the best way to sleep for heart health?
While you might not think of your heart as the type of thing that needs to be taken care of, it is one of the most important parts of your body. When you don’t get a good night’s sleep, this can put added stress on it and increase your risk for cardiovascular disease. So, if you want to maintain a healthy heart and reduce stress levels in general, make sure to commit to getting at least eight hours of quality sleep every night.
It is no secret that a good night’s sleep is vital for our health. From feeling alert and refreshed in the morning to maintain a healthy weight, there are many reasons why we should be getting enough sleep every night. Luckily, with some simple lifestyle changes and an understanding of what affects our ability to rest well, we can all improve our quality of life by getting more shut-eye at night.