How Does The Sleep Cycle Affect Heart Health?

Table Of Contents:

• Introduction

• What is the Sleep Cycle?

• What are the Stages of Sleep Cycle?

• NREM Stage 1 (N1): (Light Sleep)

• NREM Stage 2 (N2): (Slightly Deeper Sleep)

• NREM Stage 3 (N3): (Deep Sleep or Slow Wave Sleep)

• REM (Rapid Eye Movement) Stage: (Dreaming Stage)

• Does Lack of Sleep Affect Heart Health?

• What Sleep Conditions Can Hurt Heart Health?

• What Health Conditions Are Linked To A Lack Of Sleep?

• Conclusion

Introduction

Do you think that having not proper sleep can affect the health of your heart? If you have this doubt then this article can provide the information that you have been looking for. Get to know about sleep cycles and how they affect your heart health over time. 

What is the Sleep Cycle?

A sleep cycle is the repetition of a certain pattern of different sleep stages at regular intervals. One complete sleep cycle consists of four stages, which are three NREM (Non-Rapid Eye Movement) stages and one REM (Rapid Eye Movement) stage. On average a single sleep cycle lasts for 90 – 120 minutes.

What are the Stages of Sleep Cycle?

Now that you have an idea of the four stages of the sleep cycle, you need to know a little more about it to know the effects of the sleep cycle on heart health. Here are the four stages of the cycle in detail for you to get a deep understanding of it,

NREM Stage 1 (N1): (Light Sleep)

This stage lasts for only a few minutes and being the transition from awake to sleep, you can feel your muscles activity decreasing and feel very relaxed.

NREM Stage 2 (N2): (Slightly Deeper Sleep)

In this stage, you can feel your heart beat rate decrease and make your body temperature go down. This process will take up to 20 minutes.

NREM Stage 3 (N3): (Deep Sleep or Slow Wave Sleep)

You will not be able to wake during this stage, and this is the time when all physical restoration and repair process takes place. This stage is more important to feel more refreshed and rested when you wake up.

REM (Rapid Eye Movement) Stage: (Dreaming Stage)

Your brain will be active while your body is still resting. This stage occurs right after 90 minutes after you fall asleep and can last for 10 minutes. This stage can be longer as long as you are sleeping.

Does Lack of Sleep Affect Heart Health?

Yes, Lack of sleep can affect your heart health. Having inadequate sleep can be the cause of various cardiovascular diseases. It is recommended that an adult must have at least 7 – 9 hours of sleep to have a healthy body and mind. If you are having concerns about having a good quality sleep you should visit a doctor and have your health checked. 

What Sleep Conditions Can Hurt Heart Health?

Some sleep conditions have a severe effect on one’s heart health. If you are a person with these sleep conditions you need to make your appointment as soon as possible and get it diagnosed. The sleep conditions that can hurt the heart’s health are as follows,

Sleep Apnea

A sleeping disorder that causes repeated pauses in breathing during sleep, lasting for seconds to minutes, and multiple times throughout the night. Repeated blocking in the breathing process can lead to a drop in oxygen level and cause damage to the heart. Some of the various factors that are the cause of sleep apnea are

• Hypertension
• Obesity
• Cardiovascular Diseases
• Heart Failure
• Arrhythmias

Insomnia

Having trouble going to sleep and staying awake for a long time causes increased stress and leads to unhealthy habits. Which in turn causes high blood pressure and eventually causes cardiovascular discomfort leading to a decline in heart health.

What Health Conditions Are Linked To A Lack Of Sleep?

Lack of sleep is part of a decline in heart health. But have you wondered what causes a lack of sleep? Here are some health conditions that are directly related to lack of sleep.

Stress and Anxiety

Having anxiety and high levels of stress can interfere with you when relaxing, which is a crucial part of having a good sleep. Having many thoughts will make your brain to be awake and stop you from sleeping in peace. 

Depression

Depression can cause changes to your sleep cycle patterns and may sometimes cause insomnia. Some can also get hypersomnia (oversleeping) conditions.

Irregular Sleep Condition

Not sleeping at the correct time and disrupting the natural sleep-wake cycle causes excessive napping during the day. The inconsistent sleep pattern can be one of the major causes of lack of sleep in this generation.

Blue Light Exposure

Electronic devices like phones, tablets, and computers emit a large amount of blue light. When you use these devices before sleep time can suppress the production of melatonin and make it difficult to sleep.

Medications, Medical Conditions, and Caffeine

Various medical conditions can disrupt your sleep cycle, such as chronic pain, arthritis, respiratory disorders, and neurological conditions. Sometimes medications like antidepressants, stimulants, and medications for high blood pressure can significantly cause a lack of sleep. 

Having a large amount of caffeine before bed will not let you sleep, because it can be in your system for several hours making it difficult to close your eyes even when you are very tired and need sleep.

How to Improve Heart Health Through Better Sleep Cycle?

To improve your heart health through a good sleep cycle can be the best way to stay healthy. To have a good sleep and to have a healthy heart, here are some things you can try,

• Go to sleep and wake up at constant time intervals even during your weekends. By doing so, you can revamp your internal clock to have a consistent sleep-wake cycle.
• Bedtime routines like reading books, having a warm bath, or practicing relaxing techniques can help you have a good sleep.
• Reduce the usage of electronic items to reduce blue light exposure or stop using your devices at least an hour before sleep.
• Eat good food in limited amounts without caffeine and nicotine content. Try light and balanced snacks before bedtime.
• Take short limited naps during the daytime for about 20 – 30 minutes.

Conclusion

Remember, every person is unique and everyone has their own sleep cycle. It is very much better for one to visit their health care provider to have a diagnosis of their sleep cycle and heart health. I hope this article has provided some insights about the sleep cycle affecting the health of the heart.