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How does napping affect your heart?
DALLAS, JULY 25, 2022 — Napping on a regular basis is associated with higher risks for high blood pressure and stroke, according to new research published today in Hypertension, an American Heart Association journal. Aim to nap for only 10 to 20 minutes. The longer you nap, the more likely you are to feel groggy afterward. However, young adults might be able to tolerate longer naps. Limit your nap to 45 minutes or less, if you need to spring into action after dozing. Otherwise, you may drift into slow-wave sleep. Waking from this stage results in sleep inertia, that grogginess and disorientation that can last for half an hour or more. But you might want to take a long nap, at least 90 minutes. What’s a NASA Nap? After years of research, NASA scientists found that power naps were able to boost their pilots’ performance by 34% and improve alertness by up to 54%. The team at NASA determined that an optimal power-nap time should be anywhere from 10 to 20 minutes. During normal sleep, your blood pressure goes down. Having sleep problems means your blood pressure stays higher for a longer period of time. High blood pressure is one of the leading risks for heart disease and stroke. Naps can be short (15 to 30 minutes) or longer; both short and long naps can increase alertness and be useful. Take into account that sleep becomes deeper the longer you sleep, reaching the deepest level (slow-wave sleep) in about 1 hour.
Does napping reduce heart attack?
The main finding that 1 to 2 naps a week reduce the risk of heart attack or stroke is based on just 12 people. It also relies on people accurately reporting how often they nap, and for how long, as well as how long they sleep at night and a range of lifestyle factors. “Sleeping a solid seven or eight hours per night is a marker of good heart health,” says cardiac surgeon A. Marc Gillinov, MD. “Exactly how sleep influences the coronary arteries is still being studied, but we do know that not getting enough sleep is associated with risk factors for heart disease.” The heart likes consistent sleep, according to some of the most recent research on sleep and heart health. In a study that followed older adults for five years, those with the most irregular sleep schedules were nearly twice as likely to develop heart disease as those with more regular sleep patterns. Further, the study suggested that shorter sleep duration could be a risk factor for abnormal ECG findings and that adequate sleep duration (7 h) was associated with less risk for abnormal ECG findings (cf. Table 2).
Is taking naps good for your heart?
They’re Good for Your Heart A study found that people who napped for 45 to 60 minutes had lower blood pressure after going through mental stress. Wang and colleagues found that, compared to those who reported “never/rarely” napping, people who frequently napped during the day had a 12% higher chance of developing hypertension and a 24% higher chance of having a stroke. Although naps confer proven health benefits, napping regularly is associated with a higher risk of developing high blood pressure and stroke, according to a study published in Hypertension (PDF), and American Heart Association (AHA) journal. The heart rate changes throughout the day to accommodate the demands of the body. It is higher during times of intense activity or stress and lowest when a person relaxes or sleeps. “Napping for just 20 minutes may provide ample benefits, including improved alertness, mood, and vigilance,” says Aarthi Ram, MD, a sleep neurologist at Houston Methodist Willowbrook Hospital. It may even help you learn more efficiently. Get enough sleep According to the Centers for Disease and Prevention (CDC) , getting the right amount of sleep can help reduce the risk of health conditions that can lead to heart attacks, such as high blood pressure or type 2 diabetes.
Does oversleeping affect your heart?
The study also found that even people whose habitual sleep patterns extend to 10 hours or more are also at elevated risk for a heart attack. “We really want to make sure that your quality and regularity of sleep is at a healthy level for your heart. People who consistently get around 7-8 hours of sleep each night have the lowest rate of cardiovascular issues.” Too much or too little sleep isn’t good for your heart either. People who take naps on a regular basis may be more likely to have high blood pressure, according to a study published in the September 2022 issue of Hypertension. The study included about 360,000 people without high blood pressure or a previous stroke who were followed for an average of 11 years. If you have problems sleeping through the night, you may be at risk for atrial fibrillation (afib), an irregular heart rate that may cause heart palpitations and is a leading cause of stroke. A study published online June 25, 2018, by HeartRhythm reviewed four studies and found a link between afib and poor sleep.
Does sleeping slow down heart?
During sleep, it is normal for a person’s heart rate to slow down below the range for a typical resting heart rate. Between 40 to 50 beats per minute (bpm) is considered an average sleeping heart rate for adults, though this can vary depending on multiple factors. A slow heart rate isn’t always a concern. For example, a resting heart rate between 40 and 60 beats a minute is quite common during sleep and in some people, particularly healthy young adults and trained athletes. They found that during most stages of sleep, the heart rate and blood pressure fell and the sympathetic nervous system grew less active. The exception was during rapid eye movement sleep, the stage when dreams occur. During REM sleep, the heart rate and blood pressure rose to the level seen during waking hours. People who sleep six hours or less may have steeper increases in blood pressure. If you already have high blood pressure, not sleeping well may make your blood pressure worse. It’s thought that sleep helps the body control hormones needed to control stress and metabolism.
Does your heart work harder when you sleep?
But during the next phase, deep sleep, your blood pressure falls and your heart rate slows to about 20% to 30% below your resting heart rate. The cumulative effects of sleep loss and sleep disorders have been associated with a wide range of deleterious health consequences including an increased risk of hypertension, diabetes, obesity, depression, heart attack, and stroke. However, Sleep Science researchers now recognize sleep deprivation also as a danger to heart health. One of the most common issues among the American population is chest pain due to lack of sleep. People who often nap have a greater chance of developing high blood pressure and having a stroke, a large new study has found. “This may be because, although taking a nap itself is not harmful, many people who take naps may do so because of poor sleep at night. Another possible reason behind heart attacks while sleeping is the chronic obstructive sleep apnea disorder. “Normally, your blood pressure falls at night. If you have sleep apnea, your blood pressure may not fall, which can lead to high blood pressure.