Lack of sleep can bring complications to the heart. Make sure you get enough sleep and in a good way.
Maybe you stay up after midnight watching TV or checking your cell phone while you rest in bed. Or maybe, you snuggle under the covers and close your eyes at a reasonable hour, but then you move and turn around, unable to fall asleep. Whatever the reason, the results are familiar to many people: they don’t feel rested and even get up irritable when they wake up the next morning. According to statistics, approximately one in three adults does not get enough sleep.
Some people have trouble falling asleep. But others choose to stay awake and end up chronically deprived of sleep. When you don’t get enough sleep, feeling tired and cloudy, is only part of the problem. People who constantly sleep less than six hours every night are at an increased risk of heart disease, as well as other conditions that often occur frequently, such as diabetes and obesity. The mechanism of how this happens is not fully understood, but it is known that lack of rest plays an important role in interruptions in blood pressure and blood sugar regulation. Lack of rest also seems to raise stress hormone levels and inflammations, which also stress the heart.
What factors cause a sleep deficit?
Sometimes, work or family obligations prevent people from getting enough sleep. But in many cases the cause is habits such as watching television marathons during the night. These people could sleep more if they let them, but they don’t make it their priority.
Other people have insomnia: trouble falling asleep or falling asleep. These people want to sleep but they can’t. It is estimated that between 15% and 24% of adults have insomnia, which often (but not always) leads to insufficient rest. The cardiac risks associated with insomnia are not as well defined as the risks of a short duration of sleep. Part of the reason is due to differences in the way researchers measure and define insomnia. However, there is evidence that links insomnia with an increased risk of hypertension and heart disease, especially in insomniacs who do not get enough sleep.
If you can not rest well and long enough, on a regular basis, a series of strategies can help you. Start by taking stock of your exposure to night light. Evolutionarily, we were designed to sleep when it is dark. But now we are exposed to a lot of artificial light until late at night. Also, the programs that people watch on television or other devices tend to be emotionally stimulating and addictive. They are designed for you to click on the next episode, which often delays your bedtime.
Televisions, computers and smartphones (as well as low-power lighting) are increasing our exposure to blue light, one of the wavelengths in the visible light spectrum. Blue light affects the body’s circadian rhythm, our natural cycle of wakefulness and sleep. During the day, the blue light stimulates and awakens you. But too much blue light at night can make it harder to fall asleep. And all visible light suppresses the secretion of melatonin, a hormone that influences circadian rhythms. That’s why it is recommended to take a “technology break” and dim the bright lights for at least an hour or two before bedtime.
Drowsiness vs. Fatigue
If you have trouble falling asleep, do something relaxing for at least 15 minutes before going to bed, such as reading a book, listening to relaxing music or meditating. Do not get into bed until you are sleepy, that is, when your eyelids feel heavy and you are yawning.
Feeling sleepy is different from feeling tired. You can be physically tired but unable to fall asleep. So, if you are tired but not sleepy, continue doing a relaxing activity until you feel sleepy. Stay out of bed so that your brain does not link that activity with being in bed; The goal is to train your brain to associate your bed with sleep alone.
Don’t look at the clock
If you think you’re sleepy but your mind starts to accelerate as soon as you go to bed, I got out of bed. Do something relaxing until you feel sleepy. The same advice applies if you get up at 3 am and cannot fall asleep again. Don’t keep looking at the clock, watching the time go by. You will feel frustrated, further frustrating your attempts to sleep. If you end up sleeping only a few hours, remember that it is not the end of the world. You will probably regain sleep during the next day. But if you can’t sleep well the next night, and if sleepless nights are the norm, consider looking for a more structural approach to fighting insomnia.
Relax program in alive
En Alive We have a Relax program that lowers your stress levels and the sensation of alertness of our body, having many benefits, including a better rest. Do not hesitate to ask us to improve your quality of life in our Wellness Paradise.