Heart Facts | Insomnia and heart disease

Insomnia and heart disease

A recent study has shown the relationship between a lack of sleep and the development of heart disease.  Just under 500 people aged between 35-47 years old sleep patterns and coronary artery calcification were monitored for a 5 year period.  Prior to the beginning of the study none of the participants had coronary artery calcification.  At the end of the study 27% of individuals with less than 5 hours sleep per night had calcium deposits in their coronary arteries, whereas only 6% of individuals with 7 hours or more sleep had coronary artery calcification.  Eleven percent of individuals with between 5 and 7 hours sleep developed calcium deposits.   Further research deduced that an extra hour’s sleep daily decreased your risk of coronary artery calcification by a massive 33%.

The presence of calcium and other fatty deposits results in the formation of plaque in the arteries and leads to atherosclerosis and eventually total blockage of arteries and a heart attack. It is for this reason one must try and avoid the build up of calcium deposits in the arteries.

It is hard to solely put the blame on lack of sleep, as people may be sleeping less due to stress, which in itself increases the risk of heart disease.  Stress leads to increased levels of cortisol which has the potential to increase the risk of coronary artery disease.  Additionally blood pressure is higher when people are awake so a lack of sleep means blood pressure levels are higher for a longer period of time rather than taking the usual dip when people are sleeping.

From the current facts and figures it appears that insomnia may cause or be a factor in the development of heart disease, however more conclusive research is needed.

This research was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association and a summary can be found on the nytimes website.