Poor Sleep is KILLING You!
By
Dr. Richard Gerhauser, M.D.
Posted June 23, 2020
With the pandemic still at large, it’s easy to lose sleep.
But don’t overlook this critical factor in your health.
Getting enough sleep—and quality sleep—is just as crucial for your overall health as eating well, getting plenty of movement, and spending time in the sun.
Case in point: A recent study shows that poor sleep contributes to one of the top killers in the country.
I love it when studies come out proving that you don’t need pharmaceutical drugs to keep your heart healthy.
Simple lifestyle fixes do the trick every time.
A study just published in the journal PLOS Biology showed the critical connection between sleep and heart health.
More specifically, it found that poor sleep can dramatically increase your risk of heart disease.
Researchers evaluated the sleep quality of 1,600 adults using two common sleep assessment tools (a polysomnography and an actigraphy).
Then they used blood cell counts to measure two types of white blood cells that drive up inflammation (neutrophils and monocytes).
What the researchers found was that people with fragmented sleep and higher neutrophils had more evidence of hardening of the arteries than those who got good quality sleep.
In other words, poor sleep increased inflammation, which increased atherosclerosis.
Interestingly, this connection remained significant even after accounting for other factors known to increase the risk of coronary artery disease, like BMI, smoking, and even blood pressure.
Other studies find that lack of sleep increases inflammation in the body, which causes hardening of the arteries, and that there’s a connection between poor sleep and heart problems.
This study connected the dots by showing that inflammation is the reason why poor sleep contributes to heart disease.
This is a significant finding because about 35 percent of Americans report having poor sleep quality.
The good news here is that there are two simple steps you can take to improve the quality of your sleep.
- Get plenty of morning sunlight, which will help set your circadian rhythm.
- Minimize blue light exposure at night, which shuts down the production of your sleep hormone, melatonin.
Written By Dr. Richard Gerhauser, M.D.
For years he’s been the trusted doctor for celebrities, world-class athletes, and countless seniors looking to reclaim their health.
And now…for the first time ever… he’s making his medical breakthroughs available to readers all across America.
Dr. Richard Gerhauser, M.D. is one of the most pioneering and innovative minds in medicine today – and he delivers cutting-edge cures each month through his Natural Health Response newsletter.
Natural Health Response readers get full access to Dr. Gerhauser’s protocols for chronic pain… heart disease… diabetes… Alzheimer’s… and even cancer. These are the very same treatments Dr. Gerhauser recommends to his own patients at his practice in Tucson, Arizona.
In addition to being a board-certified medical doctor, Dr. Gerhauser has earned two master’s degrees and has served as a clinical professor at the University of Arizona.
And as a physician at the world-famous Canyon Ranch, Dr. Gerhauser treated celebrities from around the world who paid dearly for the type of next-generation health information he provides Natural Health Response readers each month.
View More Free Articles
The Overlooked Cause of Stress
Stress. It may as well be a four-letter word. Chronic stress can take its toll on your health, your emotions, your work, your relationships. You can take steps to manage your stress… like deep breathing, exercise, and meditation. You can take supplements to help keep your stress hormone (cortisol) in check… like ashwagandha, magnesium, and...
“Dinner Table Staple” COMBATS inflammation
I often tell you about the health benefits of the foods you eat. But what about what you put on your food? There’s a hot debate over the health benefits of salt. (I happen to think it’s great for you.) But it turns out that the spice that goes hand-in-hand with salt—and that you likely...
The Worst Way to Treat Depression (Revealed!)
Depression is not an issue to take lightly. It impacts your mood (sadness, apathy, mood swings), your behavior (social isolation, agitation), your cognitive function (lack of concentration, thoughts of suicide in some), your sleep (insomnia, restless sleep), and your body (fatigue, loss of appetite). Of course, these factors can’t help but spill over into your...
The Silent Risk Factor for Heart Disease
Despite billions being poured into pharmaceutical drugs, people staying on top of cholesterol levels, and all those New Year’s resolutions to lose weight… we haven’t put a dent in heart disease. It’s still the number one killer in the US, and it doesn’t look like that’s going to change anytime soon. That’s because the medical...
“Summer Fruit” DOWNS Blood Pressure in Just 2 Hours?
Some people would have you believe that you need to eat a kale and tofu diet to improve your heart health. No thanks. Frankly, I want to ENJOY what I’m eating. After all, God made taste buds for a reason, right? Fortunately, there’s a tasty summer fruit that can lower your blood pressure and improve...
SLASH Your Depression Risk by 25% (Here’s How!)
Yesterday I told you about how sunlight can help boost your mood. Spending time outdoors—even if you’re just sitting in the sun—will make a big difference for your mental health. But there’s something you can do to supercharge the sun’s mood-boosting benefits. In fact, it has been proven to reduce the risk of depression by...
How to Beat the Blues This Summer
If you’re excited for the longer days of summer, I feel the same way. Here in Arizona, summer can be sweltering—and I love it. I love sweating out my body’s toxins, and I love soaking in the cold water of the natural springs near my house. I also love soaking in the extra hours of...
The Shocking Solution to Alzheimer’s Disease?
Most conversations about cholesterol focus on its impact on heart disease. I’ve had plenty to say on that topic as well, and most of it is the total opposite of what mainstream health organizations will tell you. But today I want to focus on something different. Instead of addressing the impact cholesterol has (or doesn’t...
The 6 Stress-Busting Supplements You Need
Don’t underestimate the power of stress. It takes control of your mind, body, and emotions—often leaving you feeling powerless in its wake. And after two-plus years of dealing with COVID-19, people are more stressed than ever before. Fortunately, there are plenty of powerful, effective ways to manage stress. And today, I’m going to tell you...
How to SPOT Type 2 Diabetes
I often tell you about ways to help prevent or treat type 2 diabetes. Today, I want to tell you how to spot it. Staying on top of your blood sugar levels (HbA1c) is the best way to know where you stand when it comes to your blood sugar. But not everyone gets routine bloodwork...
