28 June 2024 , 15:14
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People are being advised to maintain a regular sleep schedule as much as possible to reduce their risk of developing chronic illnesses. Poor sleep quality and a irregular body clock could contribute to depression and various heart problems.
With summer in full force and bringing high temperatures and lighter evenings, getting a good amount of sleep can be more of a challenge. Longer daylight hours especially can disrupt your body’s circadian rhythm and suppress melatonin production.
This can then lead to irregular sleep patterns that can ultimately be dangerous to your health. In 2016, a large scale study found that insomnia is greatly linked to an increased risk of depression.
In a separate systematic review, evidence showed insomnia and depression often go hand-in-hand. Researchers concluded that having one condition increases the risk of having the other.
There are several treatments that can potentially help you improve your sleep:
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- Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)
- Relaxation techniques - such as deep breathing and visualization
- Exercise
- Mind-body practices - such as yoga, tai chi, qigong, and meditation
Avoid stimulants, like caffeine, in the afternoon
Experts theorise that sleep loss may cause cognitive and mood changes, may impair emotional regulation and stability and alter neural processes. They also suggest a lack of sleep could induce a stress response and increase levels of inflammation in the body.
Inflammation has the potential to harm healthy cells, tissues, and organs, leading to internal scarring, tissue death, and DNA damage in cells that were once healthy. If inflammatory cells stay too long, it may lead to chronic inflammation, which can go on to trigger heart disease, arthritis, Alzheimer's disease and even cancer.
Around 33% of adults do not get the recommended seven hours of sleep each night. This lack of sleep can negatively impact functions related to heart health too.
University of Chicago Medicine cardiologist Kathleen Drinan, DO, explained: "We think the lack of sleep increases heart disease risks by forcing our bodies to rely on the sympathetic nervous system, often referred to as the ‘fight or flight' nervous system.
"This leads to the release of more adrenaline and high cortisol levels, which leads to increased risks of heart disease." According to the British Heart Foundation, six to eight hours per night is the amount of sleep linked to a healthy heart.
Other research also discovered that consistently getting less than seven hours of sleep per night and waking up too early or frequently during the night can raise an individual's chances of experiencing a stroke, heart attack, or myocardial infarction in the future.
Poor sleep has also been linked to years of poor cardiovascular health. If you are struggling with sleep and/or your mental health, book an appointment with your doctor as soon as possible.