Making small changes to promote healthy sleep can dramatically improve your health and longevity, including leading to a 42 percent lower risk of heart failure, finds a new study.
The new findings add to growing research linking sleep habits with heart health. A healthy sleep pattern for most people, at least in terms of heart health, means seven to nine hours of sleep, little or no insomnia, no snoring, early bird rising, and little or no daytime sleepiness.
Researchers from the United States looked at data from 408,802 UK Biobank participants ages 37 to 73. Those with the healthiest sleep pattern had 42 percent lower risk of heart failure overall. Heart failure risks decreased in early risers by 8 percent, seven- to eight-hour sleepers by 12 percent, infrequent insomniacs by 17 percent, and infrequent nappers by 34 percent.(i)
In another meta-analysis of 474,684 patients, sleeping fewer than six hours or more than eight hours was tied to higher risk of developing or dying from coronary heart disease and stroke, and those who slept more than eight hours also had higher total cardiovascular disease risks.(ii)
Napping once or twice a week actually helped reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease by 48 percent in a sample of 3,462 Swiss subjects, but the benefits decreased with frequent naps.(iii) Meta-analysis of 313,651 participants reported that people who took naps of more than an hour had a 30 percent greater risk of all-cause death and 34 percent higher likelihood of cardiovascular disease compared to those who took no naps.(iv)
In one study of 935 diabetic women published in Diabetes Care, long and short sleeping, as well as snoring, were biomarkers of cardiovascular disease.(v)
Benefits of Sleep
A good night’s rest is an elusive goal for many, but people live the longest when they sleep seven to eight hours a night.(vi) Sleep is restorative and necessary for your body’s functional processes.(vii)Maintaining good sleep quality, at least in young adulthood and middle age, promotes better cognitive functioning and serves to protect against age-related cognitive decline.(viii),(ix),(x) Sleep, long overlooked, is now recognized as the “third pillar” of good health after nutrition and exercise.(xi)
Poor Sleep Impacts
Sleep disturbances have been associated with metabolic, psychiatric, and neurodegenerative disorders. Sleep apnea,(xii) insomnia, dementia, and restless leg syndrome often disrupt sleep. Poor sleep exacerbates obesity,(xiii) diabetes, inflammation,(xiv) depression, Parkinson’s disease, and Alzheimer’s.(xv)In a longitudinal study of 8,992 people between the ages of 32 and 86 years, scientists found that sleeping five or fewer hours was associated with diabetes risk and that obesity and high blood pressure both acted as mediators of this relationship.(xvi)
In a study of 1,666 men and 2,329 women 20 years or older, women with both short—less than five hours—and long sleep—eight or more hours—had poorer lipid profiles whereas only men who were long sleepers had a cholesterol imbalance.(xvii) Over an hour of daytime napping was associated with greater risk of all-cause mortality compared with non-nappers in a review of seven studies involving 98,163 Chinese participants.(xviii)
Sleep also impacts your job, life, and health. In a study of 11,698 workers, those experiencing sleep disturbances had more absenteeism, lower work performance ratings, and higher health care costs.(xix) Lack of sleep decreases attention and memory, heightens negative emotions, and impairs learning.(xx)
Six Tips for Healthier Sleep
1. Acupressure
In a study of 36 participants with average age of 32, those using acupressure increased sleep quality scores by 26 percent.(xxi) Both sleep quality and quality of life were improved with acupressure in research of 62 nursing home residents.(xxii) In a comprehensive review, acupressure significantly enhanced sleep quality.(xxiii)2. Aromatherapy
In a meta-analysis of 12 studies, aromatherapy effectively improved sleep quality.(xxiv) Lavender oil helped with insomnia and sleep quality.(xxv) Lavender aromatherapy increased sleep quality and quality of life in a study of 57 sleep-deprived menopausal women.(xxvi) In a trial of 15 healthy Japanese students, lavender produced less sleepiness upon awakening compared to no lavender.(xxvii)Three groups of 120 cancer patients received lavender, peppermint or a placebo and the essential oil groups had higher sleep quality scores than the control group.(xxviii) Chamomile treatment significantly improved sleep quality and general anxiety disorders.(xxix)
3. Melatonin
Taking melatonin lowered the time to fall asleep and increased total sleep time in an analysis of 205 patients, and is recommended for secondary sleep disorders caused by depression, thyroid problems, stroke, arthritis or asthma.(xxx) Meta-analysis of five trials of 91 adults and four trials of 226 children showed that melatonin treatment improved the body’s ability to realign the sleep-wake rhythms and decreased time to fall asleep.(xxxi)4. Yoga/Exercise
Nineteen studies of 1,832 participants were meta-analyzed, showing yoga significantly improved sleep overall.(xxxii) In a study of 413 non-exercises or non-meditators, exercise significantly improved sleep quality and meditation decreased daytime sleepiness.(xxxiii) In 43 adults ages 56 to 73 with moderate sleep complaints, moderate exercise increased quality of sleep scores.(xxxiv) Tai chi also improved sleep quality.(xxxv),(xxxvi)5. Relaxation/Meditation
A review of 37 treatment studies based on treating insomnia with psychological and behavioral therapies found relaxation produced improvements in sleep quality ratings as well as 20- to 30-minute improvements in self-reported sleep onset latency, wake time after sleep onset, and total sleep time.(xl) Another study found mindfulness meditation effectively reduced insomnia.(xli)6. Eliminate Blue Light
In a study of 22 participants, use of blue light smartphone devices two hours before bedtime significantly decreased sleepiness and performance. Blue light use increased the time to reach melatonin onset by 50 percent, which negatively impacted overall sleep quality.(xlii) Smartphone exposure may cause sleep disorders, headaches and heart rate variability.(xliii),(xliv)In a study of 28 people, those with sleep issues had late circadian rhythms, slow build-ups of sleep need and increased circadian sensitivity to blue light.(xlv) In a study of 30 healthy young participants, two hours of intense evening blue light at 6500K hurt sleep regulation and quality.(xlvi)
Sleep Well
Sleep quality is essential for your health and natural treatments such as acupressure, melatonin, meditation, aromatherapy and limiting blue light before bedtime can help. Please see GreenMedInfo.com’s research on sleep disorders for more information.Dr. Diane Fulton is Emeritus Professor at Clayton State University. She holds Ph.D./MBA in Business (University of Tennessee – Knoxville) and B.S. with Math/Secondary Education majors (University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee). She authored 10 books, over 50 articles, and is now writing children’s books about the body, mindfulness, and cross-cultural awareness. This article was republished from GreenMedinfo.com
References
(i) Xiang Li, Qiaochu Xue, Mengying Wang, Tao Zhou, Hao Ma, Yoriko Heianza, and Lu Qi. Adherence to a Healthy Sleep Pattern and Incident Heart Failure: A Prospective Study of 408802 UK Biobank Participants. Circulation, American Heart Association, https://doi.org/10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.120.050792, PMID: 33190528
(ii) Francesco P. Cappuccio, Daniel Cooper, Lanfranco D'Elia, Pasquale Strazzullo, Michelle A. Miller, Sleep duration predicts cardiovascular outcomes: a systematic review and meta-analysis of prospective studies, European Heart Journal, 32, 12, June 2011: 1484–1492, doi. https://doi.org/10.1093/eurheartj/ehr007
(iii) Häusler N, Haba-Rubio J, Heinzer R, & Marques-Vidal, P. Association of napping with incident cardiovascular events in a prospective cohort study. Heart 2019; 105:1793-1798.
(iv) Zhe Pan. Long naps may be bad for health. Presentation at the European Society of Cardiology. (2020, August 26). Reported in ScienceDaily. Retrieved December 15, 2020 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/08/200826083021.htm
(v) Williams CJ, Hu FB, Patel SR, Mantzoros CS. Sleep duration and snoring in relation to biomarkers of cardiovascular disease risk among women with type 2 diabetes. Diabetes Care. 2007 May;30(5):1233-40. doi: 10.2337/dc06-2107. Epub 2007 Feb 23. PMID: 17322482.
(vi) Kirsten Weir (2017. The power of restorative sleep: New research uncovers the connections between sleeping well and staying healthy as we age. Monitor on Psychology, October, 48(9), 38.
(vii) Akerstedt T, Nilsson PM. Sleep as restitution: an introduction. J Intern Med. 2003 Jul;254(1):6-12. doi: 10.1046/j.1365-2796.2003.01195.x. PMID: 12823638.
(viii) Mander BA, Marks SM, Vogel JW, Rao V, Lu B, Saletin JM, Ancoli-Israel S, Jagust WJ, Walker MP. β-amyloid disrupts human NREM slow waves and related hippocampus-dependent memory consolidation. Nat Neurosci. 2015 Jul;18(7):1051-7. doi: 10.1038/nn.4035. Epub 2015 Jun 1. PMID: 26030850; PMCID: PMC4482795.
(ix) Mander Bryce A. Local Sleep and Alzheimer’s Disease Pathophysiology. Frontiers in Neuroscience, 2020, 14: 1008. doi. 10.3389/fnins.2020.525970
(x) Mander, B.A., Winer, J.R., Walker, M.P. Sleep and human aging. Neuron 2017 94(1)19-36. PMCID: 28384471, doi.10.1016/j.neuron.2017.02.004, PMID: 28384471
(xi) Healthy Sleep Med Harvard, Healthy. https://healthysleep.med.harvard.edu/healthy/about#:~:text=It%20is%20based%20on%20the,the%20three%20pillars%20of%20health.
(xii) Grandner MA, Alfonso-Miller P, Fernandez-Mendoza J, Shetty S, Shenoy S, Combs D. Sleep: important considerations for the prevention of cardiovascular disease. Curr Opin Cardiol. 2016 Sep;31(5):551-65. doi: 10.1097/HCO.0000000000000324. PMID: 27467177; PMCID: PMC5056590.
(xiii) Spiegel K, Tasali E, Leproult R, Van E. Effects of poor and short sleep on glucose metabolism and obesity risk. Nat Rev Endocrinol. 2009 May;5(5):253-61. doi: 10.1038/nrendo.2009.23. PMID: 19444258; PMCID: PMC4457292.
(xiv) Michelle A. Miller and Francesco P. Cappuccio, Inflammation, Sleep, Obesity and Cardiovascular Disease. Current Vascular Pharmacology, 2007, 5: 93-102. doi. https://doi.org/10.2174/157016107780368280
(xv) William J. Joiner. The Neurobiological Basis of Sleep and Sleep Disorders. Physiology 2018 33:5, 317-327. doi. https://doi.org/10.1152/physiol.00013.2018
(xvi) James E. Gangwisch, Steven B. Heymsfield, Bernadette Boden-Albala,, Ruud M. Buijs, Felix Kreier, Thomas G. Pickering, Andrew G. Rundle, Gary K. Zammit, Dolores Malaspina. Sleep Duration as a Risk Factor for Diabetes Incidence in a Large US Sample. Sleep, Volume 30, Issue 12, December 2007, Pages 1667–1673, doi. https://doi.org/10.1093/sleep/30.12.1667
(xvii) Kaneita Y, Uchiyama M, Yoshiike N, Ohida T. Associations of usual sleep duration with serum lipid and lipoprotein levels. Sleep. 2008 May;31(5):645-52. doi: 10.1093/sleep/31.5.645. PMID: 18517035; PMCID: PMC2398756.
(xviii) Liu X, Zhang Q, Shang X. Meta-analysis of self-reported daytime napping and risk of cardiovascular or all-cause mortality. Med Sci Monit. 2015 May 4;21:1269-75. doi: 10.12659/MSM.893186. PMID: 25937468; PMCID: PMC4431364.
(xix) Hui SK, Grandner MA. Trouble Sleeping Associated With Lower Work Performance and Greater Health Care Costs: Longitudinal Data From Kansas State Employee Wellness Program. J Occup Environ Med. 2015 Oct;57(10):1031-8. doi: 10.1097/JOM.0000000000000534. PMID: 26461857; PMCID: PMC4610176.
(xx) Krause AJ, Simon EB, Mander BA, Greer SM, Saletin JM, Goldstein-Piekarski AN, Walker MP. The sleep-deprived human brain. Nat Rev Neurosci. 2017 Jul;18(7):404-418. doi: 10.1038/nrn.2017.55. Epub 2017 May 18. PMID: 28515433; PMCID: PMC6143346.
(xxi) Ke-Hsin Chueh, Chia-Chuan Chang, Mei-Ling Yeh. Effects of Auricular Acupressure on Sleep Quality, Anxiety, and Depressed Mood in RN-BSN Students With Sleep Disturbance. J Nurs Res. 2018 Feb ;26(1):10-17. PMID: 29315203
(xxii) Fu-Chih Lai, I-Hui Chen, Pao-Ju Chen, I-Ju Chen, Hui-Wen Chien, Chih-Fen Yuan. Acupressure, Sleep, and Quality of Life in Institutionalized Older Adults: A Randomized Controlled Trial. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2017 Feb 2. Epub 2017 Feb 2. PMID: 28152177
(xxiii) Nant Thin Hmwe, Pathmawathi Subramaniam, Li Ping Tan. Effectiveness of Acupressure in Promoting Sleep Quality: A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials. Holist Nurs Pract. 2016 Sep-Oct;30(5):283-93. PMID: 27501211
(xxiv) Hwang E, Shin S. The effects of aromatherapy on sleep improvement: a systematic literature review and meta-analysis. J Altern Complement Med. 2015 Feb;21(2):61-8. doi: 10.1089/acm.2014.0113. Epub 2015 Jan 13. PMID: 25584799.
(xxv) Koulivand, P. H., Khaleghi Ghadiri, M., & Gorji, A. (2013). Lavender and the nervous system. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM, 2013, 681304. https://www.hindawi.com/journals/ecam/2013/681304/
(xxvi) Gürler M, Kızılırmak A, Baser M. The Effect of Aromatherapy on Sleep and Quality of Life in Menopausal Women with Sleeping Problems: A Non-Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Trial. Complement Med Res. 2020;27(6):421-430. English. doi: 10.1159/000507751. Epub 2020 Jun 9. PMID: 32516765.
(xxvii) Hirokawa K, Nishimoto T, Taniguchi T. Effects of Lavender Aroma on Sleep Quality in Healthy Japanese Students. Perceptual and Motor Skills. 2012;114(1):111-122. doi:10.2466/13.15.PMS.114.1.111-122, PMID: 22582680
(xxviii) Hamzeh S, Safari-Faramani R, Khatony A. Effects of Aromatherapy with Lavender and Peppermint Essential Oils on the Sleep Quality of Cancer Patients: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2020 Mar 25;2020:7480204. doi: 10.1155/2020/7480204. PMID: 32308715; PMCID: PMC7132346.
(xxix) Hieu TH, Dibas M, Surya Dila KA, Sherif NA, Hashmi MU, Mahmoud M, Trang NTT, Abdullah L, Nghia TLB, Y MN, Hirayama K, Huy NT. Therapeutic efficacy and safety of chamomile for state anxiety, generalized anxiety disorder, insomnia, and sleep quality: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized trials and quasi-randomized trials. Phytother Res. 2019 Jun;33(6):1604-1615. doi: 10.1002/ptr.6349. Epub 2019 Apr 21. PMID: 31006899
(xxx) Li T, Jiang S, Han M, Yang Z, Lv J, Deng C, Reiter RJ, Yang Y. Exogenous melatonin as a treatment for secondary sleep disorders: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Front Neuroendocrinol. 2019 Jan;52:22-28. doi: 10.1016/j.yfrne.2018.06.004. Epub 2018 Jun 15. PMID: 29908879.
(xxxi) van Geijlswijk IM, Korzilius HP, Smits MG. The use of exogenous melatonin in delayed sleep phase disorder: a meta-analysis. Sleep. 2010 Dec;33(12):1605-14. doi: 10.1093/sleep/33.12.1605. PMID: 21120122; PMCID: PMC2982730.
(xxxii) Wang WL, Chen KH, Pan YC, Yang SN, Chan YY. The effect of yoga on sleep quality and insomnia in women with sleep problems: a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC Psychiatry. 2020 May 1;20(1):195. doi: 10.1186/s12888-020-02566-4. PMID: 32357858; PMCID: PMC7193366.
(xxxiii) Bruce Barrett, Christine M Harden, Roger L Brown, Christopher L Coe, Michael R Irwin. Mindfulness meditation and exercise both improve sleep quality: Secondary analysis of a randomized controlled trial of community dwelling adults. Sleep Health. 2020 May 22. Epub 2020 May 22. PMID: 32448712
(xxxiv) A C King, R F Oman, G S Brassington, D L Bliwise, W L Haskell. Moderate-intensity exercise and self-rated quality of sleep in older adults. A randomized controlled trial. Pharmacoepidemiol Drug Saf. 2009 Dec 14. PMID: 8980207
(xxxv) Aileen Wk Chan, Doris Sf Yu, K C Choi, Diana Tf Lee, Janet Wh Sit, Helen Yl Chan. Tai chi qigong as a means to improve night-time sleep quality among older adults with cognitive impairment: a pilot randomized controlled trial. Clin Interv Aging. 2016 ;11:1277-1286. Epub 2016 Sep 16. PMID: 27698557
(xxxvi) Fuzhong Li, K John Fisher, Peter Harmer, Dainis Irbe, Robert G Tearse, Cheryl Weimer. Tai chi and self-rated quality of sleep and daytime sleepiness in older adults: a randomized controlled trial. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2004 Jun;52(6):892-900. PMID: 15161452
(xl) Morin CM, Bootzin RR, Buysse DJ, Edinger JD, Espie CA, Lichstein KL. Psychological and behavioral treatment of insomnia:update of the recent evidence (1998-2004). Sleep. 2006 Nov;29(11):1398-414. doi: 10.1093/sleep/29.11.1398. PMID: 17162986.
(xli) Lichstein, K., Taylor, D. J., McCrae, C., & Thomas, S. J. (2011). Behavioral Treatments for Sleep Disorders. Elsevier Inc. doi: 45 10.1016/B978-0-12-381522-4.00004-3
(xlii) Jung-Yoon Heo, Kiwon Kim, Maurizio Fava, David Mischoulon, George I Papakostas, Min-Ji Kim, Dong Jun Kim, Kyung-Ah Judy Chang, Yunhye Oh, Bum-Hee Yu, Hong Jin Jeon. Effects of smartphone use with and without blue light at night in healthy adults: A randomized, double-blind, cross-over, placebo-controlled comparison. J Psychiatr Res. 2017 04 ;87:61-70. Epub 2016 Dec 12. PMID: 28017916
(xliii) Nadja Schreier, Anke Huss, Martin Röösli. The prevalence of symptoms attributed to electromagnetic field exposure: a cross-sectional representative survey in Switzerland. Soz Praventivmed. 2006 ;51(4):202-9. PMID: 17193782
(xliv) Reto Huber, Jürgen Schuderer, Thomas Graf, Kathrin Jütz, Alexander A Borbély, Niels Kuster, Peter Achermann. Radio frequency electromagnetic field exposure in humans: Estimation of SAR distribution in the brain, effects on sleep and heart rate. Bioelectromagnetics. 2003 May ;24(4):262-76. PMID: 12696086
(xlv) Moderie C, Van der Maren S, Dumont M. Circadian phase, dynamics of subjective sleepiness and sensitivity to blue light in young adults complaining of a delayed sleep schedule. Sleep Med. 2017 Jun;34:148-155. doi: 10.1016/j.sleep.2017.03.021. Epub 2017 Apr 4. PMID: 28522084.
(xlvi) Sarah L Chellappa, Roland Steiner, Peter Oelhafen, Dieter Lang, Thomas Götz, Julia Krebs, Christian Cajochen. Acute exposure to evening blue-enriched light impacts on human sleep. J Sleep Res. 2013 Oct ;22(5):573-80. Epub 2013 Mar 20. doi.10.1111/jsr.12050 PMID: 23509952
