The risks of developing cardiovascular disease can be reduced by adopting a new lifestyle, which involves shifting from certain habits to others.
We know that there are factors that increase these risks. Some of them, such as age and gender, cannot be modified.
Others can be modulated, for instance, hypertension, diabetes, and hypercholesterolemia. The treatment aims to achieve the target values established by clinical research.
Finally, modifying certain lifestyle habits has shown undeniable benefits in the prevention of cardiovascular disease.
The following article bears on the quality and duration of sleep.
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Quality and Duration of Sleep
Sleep is very important when looking for a healthy lifestyle. Unfortunately, it is often a fact that is easily overlooked, as the consequences of its deficiency are often ignored.
Both lack of sleep and excess sleep are associated with several health problems, including cardiovascular disease.
Sleep deprivation can upset the hormones that control our eating habits, resulting in potential weight gain. It also increases fatigue, which in turn weakens our motivation in keeping up with our exercise program.
Recurrent lack of sleep also causes our body to secrete stress hormones, as it struggles to stay awake.
Over time, those hormones can lead to anxiety and depression, and increase the risk of developing cardiovascular complications.
A Restful Sleep
An adequate sleep duration, namely, 7 to 8 hours a night, helps maintain and regulate many of the body’s restorative functions and improves cardiovascular health.
How to Recognize Insufficient Sleep
Here are some signs that indicate insufficient or disturbed sleep:
- Significant daytime sleepiness: Feeling extremely tired or lacking energy during the day, which forces you to take naps or makes it difficult to carry out daily activities.
- Feeling tired upon waking: Waking up still feeling fatigued, as if sleep wasn’t restorative.
- Frequent awakenings at night: Waking up multiple times during the night, which disrupts continuous sleep.
- Breathing pauses or significant snoring: Possible signs of sleep apnea, a condition that can seriously impair sleep quality.
- Sleepwalking: Performing actions while asleep, such as walking, may indicate a sleep disorder.
- Headache upon waking: Waking up with a headache, which could be linked to poor sleep quality or nocturnal breathing issues.
- Spontaneous need to sleep more than 7-8 hours per night: A need to sleep more than the recommended duration may signal that sleep quality is not optimal.
Suggestions to Improve Sleep Quality
- Establish a relaxing bedtime routine: Remove all electronic devices from the bedroom, engage in a calming activity before bed, and avoid exposure to blue light from electronic devices 1 to 2 hours before going to sleep.
- Stick to a consistent routine: Maintain a regular sleep schedule, going to bed and waking up at the same time every day.
- Use your bed only for sleep: Avoid using the bed for other activities like working or watching TV, to associate it solely with sleep.
- Ensure your bedroom is quiet, dark, and cool: Create a sleep-friendly environment that promotes rest.
- Avoid caffeine or alcohol in the afternoon and evening: These substances can interfere with your ability to sleep.
- Exercise regularly: Ideally, finish exercising at least 2 hours before bedtime to help wind down.
- Avoid napping during the day or evening: Naps can make it harder to fall asleep at night.
- Don’t go to bed hungry or overly full: Make sure to have a balanced meal at a reasonable time before sleeping.
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