Picture this: It’s the weekend, and you’re finally allowing yourself to sleep in. Well, besides feeling fantastic, that extra sleep might actually be saving your heart. A new analysis suggests that sleeping in on weekends could reduce your heart disease risk by up to 20% if you’re sleep-deprived during the week.
This new research, presented at the European Society of Cardiology Congress 2024, highlighted the perks of ‘compensatory sleep’. Essentially, that’s catching up on missed sleep from the workweek by snoozing extra on weekends.
Dr. Yanjun Song from the State Key Laboratory of Infectious Disease elaborates, saying, ‘Sufficient compensatory sleep is linked to a lower risk of heart disease.’ This is especially true for those who regularly get less than seven hours of sleep during the week.
The study, involving 90,903 participants from the UK Biobank, found that people who managed to catch up on lost sleep over the weekends saw a noticeable decline in heart disease risk. Around 1 in 5 participants were considered sleep-deprived, and those who caught up on sleep had a 20% lower risk of heart disease compared to those who didn’t.
In the study, subjects were divided into four groups based on how much extra sleep they managed to get on weekends. The group with the most compensatory sleep were 19% less likely to develop heart disease over a 14-year average follow-up period. Interestingly, the benefits were consistent across both men and women.
Dr. Cheng-Han Chen, a board-certified interventional cardiologist, explains that sleep helps maintain heart health through various mechanisms. It can improve blood pressure, heart rate, weight control, and even reduce inflammation.
Dr. Rigved Tadwalkar, a board-certified consultative cardiologist, adds that sleep deprivation can spike stress hormones like cortisol, which can contribute to heart issues. Catching up on sleep helps lower these levels, normalizes blood pressure and heart rate, and boosts the immune system.
Moreover, poor sleep can raise inflammation and impair endothelial function, leading to a higher risk of atherosclerosis. This condition, where plaque builds up in the arteries, increases the risk of heart attack and stroke. It can even disrupt the body’s circadian rhythm, affecting hormone production that regulates blood sugar levels.
While it’s excellent news that extra sleep can offer restoration, it’s essential to note that it doesn’t completely erase the effects of chronic sleep deprivation. However, Dr. Chen emphasizes that even those not classified as ‘sleep-deprived’ could benefit from extra sleep.
Dr. Tadwalkar finds it striking how much the body can recuperate with just a bit of extra sleep. It underscores the importance of prioritizing sleep, even if it means adjusting your weekend plans.
The ideal sleep duration for heart health can vary based on age, genetics, lifestyle, and overall health. However, experts generally agree that less than seven hours per night is when heart disease risk begins to climb.
Dr. Chen and Dr. Tadwalkar both stress that quality sleep is crucial. Recommendations include creating a sleep-friendly environment, establishing a regular sleep schedule, limiting screen time before bed, and avoiding stimulants.
If catching up on sleep on weekends isn’t an option, maintaining heart health can still be managed through regular exercise, a healthy diet, avoiding tobacco and alcohol, and monitoring vital health metrics like blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol levels.
For those struggling with persistent sleep issues, consulting a healthcare professional, particularly a sleep specialist, is advisable. Treatment options or lifestyle modifications might be necessary.
While long-term sleep deprivation poses several health risks, including heart disease, catching up on sleep over the weekend could help mitigate some of these risks. Prioritizing sleep quality, no matter how busy life gets, can make a significant difference to your overall health.
Source: Healthline