Sleep and heart attacks: What’s the connection?

From ahchealthenews.com

If you get plenty of exercise, eat right and manage your stress then you are the epitome of heart health, right? Not necessarily. You still might be missing one important consideration: sleep.

This important part of everyone’s daily routine is often not prioritized, according to Dr. Arshad Jahangir, a cardiovascular disease physician at Aurora Health Care. At a certain point, your lack of sleep could be considered insomnia. This sleep disorder is characterized by having trouble falling asleep, staying asleep or getting good quality sleep, according to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. It can be short-term, lasting for a few days or weeks, or long-term, lasting for three or more months.

A study evaluated the sleep disorder’s effects on the heart and found that people with insomnia are 70% more likely to have a heart attack.

To conduct their analysis, the researchers reviewed about nine years worth of data from more than 1 million adults. They compared the risk of a heart attack in those who had insomnia with those who did not. After controlling for factors, such as age, gender, other health problems and smoking, they found a significant, positive correlation between insomnia and heart attacks for all the groups studied.

Furthermore, the study showed that people who slept five or fewer hours per night were about 50% more likely to experience a heart attack compared to people who slept six to eight hours a night.

Conversely, sleeping too much can have negative effects on the heart as well. In fact, people who slept nine hours had a higher risk of heart attack compared to those who slept only six hours. The study found no difference in the risk of heart attack between people who got five or less hours of sleep compared to nine or more hours of sleep each night.

If you get plenty of exercise, eat right and manage your stress then you are the epitome of heart health, right? Not necessarily. You still might be missing one important consideration: sleep.

This important part of everyone’s daily routine is often not prioritized, according to Dr. Arshad Jahangir, a cardiovascular disease physician at Aurora Health Care. At a certain point, your lack of sleep could be considered insomnia. This sleep disorder is characterized by having trouble falling asleep, staying asleep or getting good quality sleep, according to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. It can be short-term, lasting for a few days or weeks, or long-term, lasting for three or more months.

A study evaluated the sleep disorder’s effects on the heart and found that people with insomnia are 70% more likely to have a heart attack.

To conduct their analysis, the researchers reviewed about nine years worth of data from more than 1 million adults. They compared the risk of a heart attack in those who had insomnia with those who did not. After controlling for factors, such as age, gender, other health problems and smoking, they found a significant, positive correlation between insomnia and heart attacks for all the groups studied.

Furthermore, the study showed that people who slept five or fewer hours per night were about 50% more likely to experience a heart attack compared to people who slept six to eight hours a night.

Conversely, sleeping too much can have negative effects on the heart as well. In fact, people who slept nine hours had a higher risk of heart attack compared to those who slept only six hours. The study found no difference in the risk of heart attack between people who got five or less hours of sleep compared to nine or more hours of sleep each night.

“People typically need seven to eight hours of good sleep each night so that their body’s defence and regulatory mechanisms can be adequately regulated to maintain long-term health,” says Dr. Jahangir. “The wear and tear that the body goes through during active hours are repaired during sleep, and sufficient, unfragmented sleep is important for these processes to maintain overall well-being. Otherwise, heart and vascular disease can start to creep in with the metabolic dysfunction and adversely affect overall life-expectancy.”

“Many people may be unaware that sleep plays such a key role in maintaining a healthy heart,” Dr. Jahangir says. “I encourage anyone who is having trouble sleeping to reach out to their providers and get screened for insomnia and for heart disease.”

Want to learn more about your risk for heart disease? Take a free online quiz.

https://www.ahchealthenews.com/2025/06/11/sleep-and-heart-attacks-whats-the-connection/

Not getting enough sleep? You might be at risk of heart attack – Here is what we know

From india.com

Sleep deprivation has become a common problem several people face on a daily basis. But, it may put you at risk of heart attack? Read on to understand how

Insomnia, a condition often brushed off as a minor inconvenience, has far-reaching implications beyond sleepless nights. Emerging research highlights a surprising connection between insomnia and heightened risks of cardiovascular issues, specifically heart attacks and strokes. Understanding these risks is crucial, not just for individuals but also for the healthcare and pharmaceutical industries striving to address public health. Mental health issues, including anxiety and depression, often go hand-in-hand with insomnia.

How Lack of Sleep Affects Heart?

The link between insomnia and cardiovascular disease is largely rooted in how chronic sleep deprivation affects bodily functions. When the body doesn’t get sufficient rest, stress hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline remain elevated. These hormones, critical in the body’s ‘fight or flight’ response, also lead to sustained increases in blood pressure and heart rate. India.com got in touch with By Dr. Aravind Badiger Technical Director BDR Pharmaceuticals to understand the connection and how to manage it. According to Dr. Badiger, over time, this prolonged state of physiological stress can damage the cardiovascular system, narrowing blood vessels, hardening arterial walls, and increasing clotting tendencies-all of which heighten the risk of heart attacks and strokes.

Additionally, poor sleep impacts metabolic functions. Insomnia can lead to insulin resistance, weight gain, and inflammatory responses that contribute to cardiovascular strain. Research suggests that adults with persistent insomnia face up to a 45% higher risk of heart attack and stroke compared to those with regular sleep patterns, with the risk climbing among middle-aged and older individuals.

Another concerning impact of insomnia on cardiovascular health is its potential to trigger irregular heart rhythms, or arrhythmias. Insomniacs are at greater risk of developing atrial fibrillation, a condition that causes the heart to beat irregularly. Atrial fibrillation can lead to blood clots, which increase the risk of stroke and can put additional strain on the heart.

5 Ways to Manage Sleep and Heart Health

1. Sleep Routine: Go to bed and wake up at the same time every day, even on weekends. This helps regulate the body’s internal clock.
2. Limit Stimulants: Avoid caffeine and nicotine close to bedtime, as they can increase alertness and disrupt sleep quality.
3. Optimise the Sleep Environment: Make sure your bedroom is dark, quiet, and at a comfortable temperature to encourage better sleep.
4. Practice Relaxation Techniques: Techniques like meditation, deep breathing exercises, or progressive muscle relaxation can help reduce stress and improve sleep quality.
5. Seek Professional Help if Needed: Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I) has been shown to be an effective treatment for chronic insomnia. Consulting a healthcare professional can also help identify any underlying health issues contributing to sleep difficulties.

The hidden link between insomnia and heart disease is an urgent reminder that sleep health cannot be overlooked. As more evidence emerges, it’s clear that insomnia is not just a benign issue but a risk factor for severe health conditions like heart attacks and strokes. The pharmaceutical industry is in a prime position to innovate and create treatments that address insomnia and its cardiovascular implications together. With greater awareness, advancements in combination therapies, and a proactive approach to preventive care, we can make strides in reducing insomnia’s impact on cardiovascular health—ensuring that better sleep leads to a healthier heart.

https://www.india.com/health/not-getting-enough-sleep-you-might-be-at-risk-of-heart-attack-here-is-what-we-know-7397376/ 

Does Lack Of Sleep Increase Heart Attack Risk?

From medicaldaily.com

Sleep is an important component of everyday living. It does not only relax the body, but it also provides a period for tissues and organs to regenerate and fix issues. A new study provides evidence of how crucial sleep is for optimum heart health. 

Published in the journal Clinical Cardiology, the meta-analysis of previously published research found a potential link between insomnia and heart attack risk, especially in women. 

Since insomnia is closely associated with cardiovascular disease, the researchers decided to assess the eligibility of the condition as a potential risk factor for myocardial infarction (MI) or heart attack. 

The pooled analysis of studies on insomnia and MI from PubMed, Scopus and Web of Science revealed a significant association between the two conditions. People with insomnia were found to be 1.69 times more likely to have a heart attack than non-insomniacs. 

The team also found a link between increased MI risk and sleep duration at night. People who slept five hours or less were found to have the highest heart attack risk. They were 1.56 times more likely to have an MI than people who slept seven or eight hours per night. 

Because insomnia is the most common sleep disorder affecting the general population, the authors said their findings should prompt the medical community to consider it a risk factor for MI. Sleep should also be incorporated into heart attack prevention guidelines, according to them. 

"Insomnia is the most common sleep disorder, but in many ways, it's no longer just an illness, it's more of a life choice. We just don't prioritize sleep as much as we should. Our study showed that people with insomnia are more likely to have a heart attack regardless of age, and heart attacks occurred more often in women with insomnia," study author Yomna E. Dean, a medical student at Alexandria University in Alexandria, Egypt, said, as quoted by News Medical.

“Insomnia is actually quite common. We see it probably in 1 in 10 patients in the United States. It is my impression that almost everyone experiences insomnia at some point in their life. The estimate is that 1 in 2 adults experience it at some point in their life, maybe in the short term because of stressful moments,” Dr. Martha Gulati told CNN. 

Gulati, the director of prevention at the Cedars-Sinai Smidt Heart Institute, who was not involved in the study, further reacted to the new research by explaining how a lack of sleep affects blood pressure. 

“What really happens when you’re not getting enough sleep is that your cortisol gets out of whack. If you are having sleep problems, we know that your blood pressure is more elevated at night,” she said. 

https://www.medicaldaily.com/insomnia-increases-heart-attack-risk-468243 

New Research Reveals Link Between Healthy Sleep Habits and Lower Risk of Heart Failure

From sciencetimes.com

New research recently published by Circulation, the American Heart Association's flagship journal, showed that adults who have the healthiest sleep patterns had a 42-percent lower risk of heart failure regardless of other factors than adults who have unhealthy sleep patterns.

The study also specified that healthy sleep patterns typically arise in the morning, sleeping from seven to eight hours each day and having no frequent attacks of insomnia, frequent snoring, and excessive sleepiness during daytime.

Reports on this condition impact over 26 million people, and evolving evidence specifies that sleep problems may play a role in the development and occurrence of heart failure.

Link Between Sleep Pattern and Heart Failure Investigated

This observational research investigated the link between healthy sleep patterns and heart failure. It comprised data on more than 400,000 UK Biobank participants whose ages range from 37 to 73 years at the time of recruitment between 2006 and 2010.

The occurrence of heart failure was collected until April 2019. Study authors were able to record more than 5,200 cases of heart failure during the 10-year median follow-up.

Researchers assessed sleep quality, as well as general sleep patterns. The gauges of sleep quality comprised sleep duration, insomnia, and snoring, as well as features associated with sleep.

Among these features include whether the study participant was considered a "night owl" or an "early bird," and if they experienced any sleepiness at daytime, likely to doze off or fall asleep during the day unintentionally.

                                                                 (Photo : Pixabay)
New research shows the essentiality of improving overall sleep patterns to contribute to the prevention of heart failure.

Importance of Improving Overall Sleep Patterns Highlighted

According to the study's corresponding author and epidemiology professor and director of the Obesity Research Centre at New Orleans-based Tulane University, Lu Qi MD, PhD, the healthy sleep score "we created was based on the scoring of these five sleep behaviours."

Their findings, the professor added, underscore the essentiality of improving overall sleep patterns to contribute to the prevention of heart failure.

Reports on the study said, sleep behaviours were collected by means of "touchscreen questionnaires." Duration of sleep was specifically defined into three different groups, including short or less than seven hours of sleep each day; recommended or between seven and eight hours of sleep each day; and prolonged or nine hours or longer sleep every day.

Following their adjustments for certain conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, use of medicine, and genetic variations, as well as other covariates, participants who had the healthiest sleep patter were found to have a 42-percent reduction in the risk of heart failure than to those who had an unhealthy sleep pattern.

Other Findings

Researchers also found that the risk of heart failure was independently linked and, eight-percent lower among early riser; 12-percent lower in people who had seven to eight hours of sleep each day; 17-percent lower in people who did not experience frequent insomnia; and 34-percent lower in people who said they did not experience daytime sleepiness.

Furthermore, as indicated in the study, the sleep behaviours of participants were self-reported, and the information on sleep-behaviour changes during follow-up were unavailable.

The study authors noted other unmeasured or unidentified adjustments, which may have influenced the findings as well. Qi also noted that the strengths of their study comprise its originality, prospective study design, and enormous sample size.

https://www.sciencetimes.com/articles/28335/20201120/new-research-reveals-link-between-healthy-sleep-habits-lower-risk.htm

Healthy sleep habits help lower risk of heart failure: Study

From thestatesman.com

Healthy sleep patterns are rising in the morning, sleeping 7-8 hours a day and having no frequent insomnia, snoring or excessive daytime sleepiness, the study published in the journal Circulation said

Researchers have revealed that adults with the healthiest sleep pattern have 42 per cent lower risk of heart failure regardless of other risk factors compared to adults with unhealthy sleep patterns.

Healthy sleep patterns are rising in the morning, sleeping 7-8 hours a day and having no frequent insomnia, snoring or excessive daytime sleepiness, the study published in the journal Circulation said.

“Our findings highlight the importance of improving the overall sleep patterns to help prevent heart failure,” said study author Lu Qi from the Tulane University in the US.

   Researchers analysed sleep quality as well as overall sleep patterns.

                          (Representational Image: iStock)          

This observational study examined the relationship between healthy sleep patterns and heart failure and included data on 408,802 UK Biobank participants, ages 37 to 73 at the time of recruitment (2006-2010).

Incidence of heart failure was collected until April 1, 2019. Researchers recorded 5,221 cases of heart failure during a median follow-up of 10 years.

Researchers analysed sleep quality as well as overall sleep patterns.

The measures of sleep quality included sleep duration, insomnia and snoring and other sleep-related features, such as whether the participant was an early bird or night owl and if they had any daytime sleepiness.

“The healthy sleep score we created was based on the scoring of these five sleep behaviours,” Qi said. Sleep behaviours were collected through touchscreen questionnaires.

Sleep duration was defined into three groups: short, or less than seven hours a day; recommended, or even to eight hours a day; and prolonged, or 9 hours or more a day.

The findings showed that participants with the healthiest sleep pattern had a 42 per cent reduction in the risk of heart failure compared to people with an unhealthy sleep pattern.

They also found the risk of heart failure was independently associated and: eight per cent lower in early risers, 12 per cent lower in those who slept 7 to 8 hours daily, 17 per cent lower in those who did not have frequent insomnia and 34 per cent lower in those reporting no daytime sleepiness.

The researchers noted other unmeasured or unknown adjustments may have also influenced the findings.

https://www.thestatesman.com/lifestyle/healthy-sleep-habits-help-lower-risk-heart-failure-study-1502935806.html                          

EARLY WARNING Insomnia and 7 other signs of a heart attack that start one month before deadly event

From thesun.co.uk/news

SOMEONE clutching their chest tends to be the stereotypical image when we think of someone having a heart attack.

But in reality it's rarely that dramatic.

                                                        Credit: Getty - Contributor

Many people don't realise that you can have a heart attack without feeling any chest pain at all.
In fact, there are some early warning signs that can present themselves up to a month before the life-threatening event.
Most of which can easily be confused with other conditions - or simply overlooked.
It's especially the case for women who experts say are less likely to seek medical attention and treatment quickly.

Prevention is always better than cure so it's valuable to know what to look out for.
Here are some of the warning signs...

1. Fatigue

We can also experience feeling tired from time to time, but experts say that extreme fatigue can be a sign that something is wrong.
It's much more likely to affect women - around 70 per cent - who also may also put their symptoms down to flu, according to Healthline.

Feel exhausted for no reason could begin months before a heart attack, which is why it's vital to see a doctor as early as possible.

2. Abdominal pain

Pain in the abdomen, empty or full stomach nausea, feeling bloated and an upset stomach are some of the most common symptoms.
Some 50 per cent of cases of a heart attack involved some sort of abdominal pain, according to Bright Side.
They have an episodic nature - easing and then returning for short periods of time.

As heart attacks tend to affect older people, these signs are often dismissed as heartburn or other food-related complications.
If you normally have a tough stomach, then this could be a signal from your body that something is up.

3. Insomnia

Insomnia is also linked with an increased risk of heart attack or stroke - and is more common among women.
Symptoms include difficulty initiating sleep, difficulty maintaining sleep, and early-morning awakening.
Experts have previously found significant associations between insomnia and heart attack risk.
Researchers in China, reporting in the journal Neurology, found that people who had three types of insomnia symptoms were 18 per cent more likely to have a heart attack or stroke.

4. Shortness of breath

The heart pumps blood so it can circulate to your tissues and get oxygen to your lungs.
If your heart can't pump blood effectively - as is the case with a heart attack - then it can cause breathlessness.
This symptom is diagnosed in 40 per cent of cases and is a strong feeling of being unable to draw a deep breath.
It can be an accompanying symptom to unusual fatigue in women, but can occur for both genders up to six months prior to a heart attack.

5. Hair loss

Losing hair is considered to be another visible indicator of the risk of heart disease.
It tends to most commonly affect men over 50, but some women may also be affected.
Pay close attention to losing hair from the crown of your head especially, says Bright Side.

6. Irregular heartbeat

Heart rhythm problems, known as arrhythmias, occur when the electrical impulses that coordinate your heartbeats don't work properly, causing your heart to beat too fast, too slow or irregularly, according to Mayo Clinic.
It may feel like a fluttering or racing heart and can be accompanied by a panic attack, especially among women.
Some people report that the irregular heartbeat lasts for one to two minutes. If it doesn't fade you may feel dizziness or extreme fatigue.
If you are suffering this symptom it's important to speak to a GP immediately or call 111.

7. Excessive sweating

Sweating more than usual - especially if you've not been active - could be an early warning sign.
Pumping blood around clogged arteries takes more effort from your heart, so your body sweats more to try to keep the body temperature down.
Women often mistake this symptom as a hot flush or a night sweat more typical of menopause.
But if you wake up and the sheets are damp or experience cold sweats and clammy skin then it's worth consulting your doctor.

8. Chest pain

Chest pain, or discomfort, is one of the most common early sign of a heart attack.
People have described it as feeling like an elephant standing on their chest.
Others say it's more of a chest tightness or squeezing sensation.
It may seem bad for a few minutes and then go away, and come back hours or even a day later.

Chest pain tends to affect just 30 per cent of women - which is why it's vital to know the other signs.
If you are suffering this symptom, speak to your GP immediately or call 111 for advice.
A heart attack is a medical emergency and can be life threatening.
If you think you or someone else is having a heart attack, call 999 for an ambulance immediately.
If you’re not sure, it’s still important to seek medical attention as soon as possible to be on the safe side.

WHAT IS A HEART ATTACK?

• A heart attack happens when the heart muscle is starved of oxygen-rich blood, often as a result of a blockage
• The lack of oxygen causes the muscle to be damaged
• Most heart attacks are triggered by coronary heart disease, the British Heart Foundation notes
• This is when the coronary arteries – the blood vessels that supply the heart muscle with oxygen-rich blood, become narrowed by a gradual build-up of fat inside the walls
• If a piece of this fatty material breaks away, it can cause a blood clot or blockage to form. If it then blocks the coronary artery it can cut off the blood supply to the heart

https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/10378320/insomnia-signs-heart-attack-month-before/