The 8-hour Solution to Heart Disease
When it comes to reducing your risk of life-threatening issues like heart disease and stroke, most people focus on two biggies:
- Diet
- Exercise
Sure, they go a long way toward keeping you alive and kicking, but there’s more you can do to lower your risk.
Researchers have just identified a medical condition that can dramatically increase your risk of heart disease and stroke.
Fortunately, there are steps you can take to stay safe.
Researchers followed nearly 500,000 people over 10 years to answer one simple question: Are sleep problems bad for your heart?
The answer was a big fat YES.
At the beginning of the study, participants answer questions about whether they had trouble falling or staying asleep, if they consistently woke up extra early in the mornings, or whether their lack of sleep impacted their daily functioning.
Then the researchers tracked the participants for the next 10 years, specifically checking for cardiovascular disease and stroke.
They found that, overall, people who reported having difficulty sleeping at the beginning of the study had much higher rates of ischemic heart disease, ischemic stroke, and overall cardiovascular disease.
- The risk was 9 percent higher in those who had trouble falling asleep…
- 7 percent higher in those who struggled with early wakings…
- And 13 percent higher in those who said they had trouble functioning during the day.
The more sleep symptoms someone had, the higher their risk.
Many people view sleep problems as a nuisance, but studies like these show that there’s much more to it.
If you’re having trouble falling or staying asleep, don’t just suffer through it—and please don’t resort to taking sleeping pills.
If you’re having trouble getting the sleep you need, you’d be surprised at how effective making a few simple lifestyle changes can be.
Go to bed at the same time every night. Don’t use electronic devices in the evenings. Block or eliminate blue light at night. And sleep in a cool, dark room.
