The importance of Sleep for Your Heart Health

How are you sleeping? Experts recommend sleeping 7 hours per night, but they estimate that at least 25% of the population doesn’t meet that goal. 

Your bodily systems need proper sleep to function normally. If you usually fall short of the 7-hour goal, your heart is under increased stress. Chronic strain on your heart can lead to heart disease and other associated conditions. 

At Palm Desert Urgent Care, board-certified internal medicine specialist Dr. Manzoor Kazi investigates the reasons for your poor sleep quality by asking you about your sleep habits and examining you. Dr. Kazi then recommends a treatment plan or a sleep study if more information is needed. Here’s why getting enough sleep is essential for your health.  

Sleep gives your heart a rest

Sleep is restorative. Your body systems are resting. Your heart gets a break because your blood pressure drops. 

When you can’t sleep because of insomnia, sleep apnea, or a late night followed by an early morning, you miss out on this restorative phase, and your blood pressure may remain elevated. If your lack of sleep becomes a pattern, you increase your risk for hypertension, heart disease, stroke, and other cardiovascular conditions. 

Healthy sleep helps keep your hormone levels in balance 

When you’re not getting enough sleep, your stress hormones surge. Your heartbeat and blood pressure remain elevated. When cortisol and/or adrenaline levels are chronically high, you’re at risk of long-term inflammation and stress on your heart. 

Sleep helps control your weight and metabolism

Have you noticed that when you don’t sleep well, you’re hungrier? Lack of sleep affects hormones that regulate hunger and satiety. When you’re sleep-deprived, your body may produce more ghrelin, a hormone that makes you feel hungry. Sleep deprivation also means you produce less leptin, the hormone that signals fullness. 

As a result, you may not be able to stop after eating a normal amount at meals. You still feel hungry, so you graze throughout the day or end up binging on foods you crave. This pattern can lead to heart disease, diabetes, and other adverse health conditions. 

Maintaining a healthy weight is essential for your heart and overall health. Getting enough sleep helps control your weight and metabolism. 

Sleep deprivation adversely affects blood sugar levels

Without enough sleep, your body’s ability to produce glucose, or blood sugar, is hindered. If your lack of sleep becomes chronic, you’re at higher risk of insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes — two conditions linked to heart problems. Getting the right amount of sleep helps keep your blood sugar levels balanced and supports long-term heart health. 

Sleep apnea and its link to heart disease

Do you tend to wake up feeling tired, even though you’ve been in bed for 8 hours? Does your partner say your snoring sounds like a train on the tracks? You may have undiagnosed sleep apnea.

If you have sleep apnea, your breathing starts and stops many times during the night. Your oxygen levels drop, so you wake up gasping for breath. Your heart is under strain. Your blood pressure rises, damaging your blood vessels. Over time, undiagnosed sleep apnea raises your risk of heart disease. 

How to improve your sleep

You can take proactive steps to improve your sleep hygiene:

• Establish a regular bedtime and wake-up time 
• Keep your bedroom cool, quiet, and dark
• Avoid heavy meals, alcohol, or screens close to bedtime
• Get regular exercise every day

Please answer honestly when our team asks you about your sleep habits. Getting enough sleep is a common problem. We can help you address the issue in ways that protect your heart and improve your quality of life.  

Call Palm Desert Urgent Care or book an appointment through our online portal today if you’re not sleeping well.