Scientists pinpoint how many hours sleep will increase your risk of heart disease
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Just three sleepless nights could be enough to strain your heart
- A new study from Uppsala University in Sweden reveals that just three nights of restricted sleep (around four hours) can trigger changes in the blood that are linked to a higher risk of heart disease.
- Researchers found that sleep deprivation caused a rise in inflammatory markers in the blood, which can damage blood vessels and raise the risk of heart failure, coronary heart disease, and irregular heartbeat.
- The study involved 16 healthy young men who underwent periods of normal sleep (8.5 hours) and sleep restriction (4.25 hours) in a controlled lab setting.
- Exercise-induced boosts in healthy proteins like interleukin-6 and BDNF were weaker after poor sleep, indicating that sleep deprivation can diminish the cardiovascular benefits of physical activity.
- The study showed that even short-term sleep deprivation can have significant negative impacts on cardiovascular health.