Sleep is a fundamental function for our body that sometimes we can end up neglecting. However, it is vital to pay attention to this aspect, since if it is harmed the consequences can be very serious.
Thus, a new study published in the academic world BMC Medicine has found that poor sleep quality can lead to between two and seven years of increased risk of heart disease and even premature death, according to a new study conducted by researchers at the University of Sydney in collaboration with the University of Southern Denmark.
Up to seven years in respiratory disorders
The work analyzed data from 300,000 middle-aged adults drawn from the UK Biobank study and found that different sleep disturbances are associated with different durations of commitment to cardiovascular health later in life compared to those who had sound sleep.
In particular, men with chronic sleep-disordered breathing lost up to seven years of life free of cardiovascular diseasecompared to those without these diseases, with women losing even more time.
Other problems, such as general poor sleep qualityinsufficient sleep, insomnia, snoring, going to bed late, and daytime sleepiness are associated with a loss of about two years of normal heart health in men and women.
An ignored pillar of health
Based on these findings, the authors consider that factors such as snoring or trouble falling asleep they should be considered signs of potential health problems in the future.
“Sleep is a vital biological function that to this day has not been properly appreciated in public health policy. It is gratifying that these findings illuminate the importance of sleep, and the need for it to be recognized as a pillar of good health.” health alongside physical activity and nutrition It is time to ensure that sleep is recognized in the public health policies“, explains Peter Cistulli, lead author of the study.
References
Huang, BH., del Pozo Cruz, B., Teixeira-Pinto, A. et al. Influence of poor sleep on cardiovascular disease-free life expectancy: a multi-resource-based population cohort study. BMC Medicine (2023) DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12916-023-02732-x