WASHINGTON — When you don't get enough good sleep, the short-term consequences are noticeable — maybe you're distracted at work or snappy with loved ones.
The authors set out to learn more about this relationship by analyzing the sleep of older adults — age 69 on average — who participated in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis, adesigned to investigate the prevalence and progression of, and risk factors for, cardiovascular disease. More than 2,000 participants were recruited between 2000 and 2002 from Minnesota, Maryland, Illinois, North Carolina, California and New York state.
"These results suggest that maintaining regular or habitual sleep durations, or sleeping close to the same total amount of time each night," Full said, "may play an important role in preventing cardiovascular disease."Since sleep quality and atherosclerosis were measured at the same time, researchers weren't able to assess or prove whether irregular sleep caused the condition — they found only an association between the two.
"Sleep is critical for the heart to be able to rest, as that is when heart rate slows and blood pressure normally dips," he added. "Without that regular rest, the heart and vascular system are stressed over time." "Sleep matters to all of us," he added. "It is an important part of the Life's Essential 8 approach to optimizing your cardiovascular health — which can also help prevent cancers, dementia and many other chronic diseases of aging."is the American Heart Association's checklist for lifelong good health, which also includes eating healthy, being physically active, quitting tobacco, managing weight, controlling cholesterol and managing blood sugar and blood pressure.
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