The meta-analysis indicates a 53% increase in the risk of death related to heart disease
Studies show that insomnia affects more than 30% of adults worldwide. And those who have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep through the night tend to develop other health problems, such as diabetes, kidney disease and gastrointestinal disorders.
Some research has also indicated an association between insomnia and cardiovascular disease, but the results have been contradictory.
Insomnia and cardiovascular diseases
To try to reach a more reliable conclusion, the researchers carried out a meta-analysis with studies carried out over the last 20 years on the topic, which included, in total, approximately 389 thousand people with insomnia and more than 2 million healthy individuals. Participants were followed for periods ranging from 3 to 20 years.
The work, published in the magazine PLoS One, shows that insomnia is, in fact, associated with a higher risk of death from cardiovascular disease. According to the findings, people with chronic sleep difficulties had:
– a 53% increase in the risk of heart disease-related death compared to healthy individuals.
– a 48% greater risk of suffering heart attacks.
– 31% more likely to develop any type of cardiovascular disease.
– 14% higher risk of all-cause mortality compared to healthy individuals.
Analyzing available data from studies that followed participants for longer periods of time, ranging from 10 to 20 years, the researchers observed that the all-cause mortality rate was much higher for people with insomnia. This suggests that sleep difficulties can affect people in the long term.
How does sleep affect heart health?
One of the hypotheses put forward by researchers is that insomnia would cause dysregulation of the autonomic nervous system and an increase in systemic inflammation. Another point is that difficulty falling asleep causes an increase in blood pressure.
One of the authors, cardiologist Cheng-Han Chen of MemorialCare Saddleback Medical Center in California, explained that insomnia is also often associated with obstructive sleep apnea, a known risk factor for cardiovascular disease.
Sleep hygiene is essential
Although further studies are still needed to clarify the link between insomnia and cardiovascular risk, the doctor has made some recommendations for people who want to improve the quality of their sleep, such as:
- Keep the room dark, quiet and at a comfortable temperature
- Avoid caffeine and alcohol
- Always sleep and wake up at the same time
- Do regular physical activity throughout the day
- Avoid afternoon naps
- Manage stress better
Another important recommendation is to turn off electronic devices at least an hour before going to bed and to ask a specialist for help if necessary. Today, tests that evaluate sleep quality are more accessible and are often covered by health plans.
The sooner sleep disorders are diagnosed, the sooner it will be possible to avoid their negative health consequences.
Source: Terra
Ben Stock is a lifestyle journalist and author at Gossipify. He writes about topics such as health, wellness, travel, food and home decor. He provides practical advice and inspiration to improve well-being, keeps readers up to date with latest lifestyle news and trends, known for his engaging writing style, in-depth analysis and unique perspectives.
