Ah…a good nights sleep. We all want to get in
the recommended 7-8 hours, yet according to the National Sleep
Foundation, almost one-third of Americans sleep 6.5 hours or less
each night. So, not only are we walking around in a bad mood, eyes
half open, giant cup of Joe in hand, but now research shows that we
are actually putting our heart at risk!
Research by Dr. Alexandros Vgontzas, professor of psychiatry at The
Pennsylvania State University in Hershey reveals that even modest
sleep deprivation may be associated with low-grade inflammation,
which can lead to a number of cardiovascular problems.
Vgontzas and his team of researchers deprived 25 men and women just
two hours of sleep per night over a six-week period. They measured
blood levels for immune-system molecules called cytokines, which are
normally secreted during inflammation and infection. Both men and
women in the study had increased concentrations of cytokines, which
confirms lack of sleep may stimulate an increase in chronic
inflammation.
This is troublesome, particularly because continuous inflammation
has been shown to lead to hardening of the arteries, high blood
pressure, stroke, heart disease and even heart failure. Also, lack
of quality sleep has a significant effect on your blood sugar
levels. If you are sleep deprived, it requires more insulin to
balance your blood sugar levels, which, in turn, can lead to heart
disease and a host of other health related problems.
So, you know you need more shut-eye but getting to bed early and
sleeping in later just aren’t an option with your busy schedule.
Maybe the quantity of hours shouldn’t be your main focus, let’s try
focusing on getting “quality” sleep. The first option that comes to
mind for most people who want to sleep more soundly is to seek out
over-the-counter or prescription sleep aids. However, there are
several downsides to consider:
-
Risk of tolerance - meaning your body can require more and more
of the medication in order to achieve results.
-
The lingering effects of sleepiness from the previous night’s
dosage can affect your safety, the safety of those around you
and even put lives at risk.
-
They can be highly addictive – creating the danger that the body
will never really learn to sleep on its own again
A
far better choice is to consider more natural approaches. You can do
simple things like avoiding caffeine and television before bedtime,
or practicing relaxation exercises to help you unwind. You can also
seek out a natural herbal supplement that will help you achieve the
solid sleep you need in order to maintain good health and take care
of your heart. Trying these more natural approaches may be just the
thing to safely help you obtain a solid nights rest without the
risks associated with other traditional medications.
There you have it. The evidence is overwhelming; getting sensible
amounts of good quality sleep is essential to achieving optimal
health and particularly a healthy heart. Ultimately it’s up to you
to make the right decision regarding your individual health.
Remember… more zzz’s equals less disease!
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For more information on how to get a better night’s sleep and simple
steps to controlling deadly systemic inflammation the root cause
pain and disease go to
http://www.losethebackpain.com
