Put down that all-natural energy drink. The truly natural way to restore the body and get energized is by sleeping. Sleep debt can have some serious health risks, especially for the cardiovascular system (CVS). Getting enough sleep and watching out for symptoms of sleep disorders like sleep apnea, lowers the chance of CVS disorders, including coronary heart disease.
Depresses CVS in Non-REM Stages
In healthy adults, the cardiovascular system is depressed during the deep sleep stages, also known as non-REM sleep. Deep sleep is considered metabolic rest. During deep sleep, the heart rate and blood pressure lowers as breathing slows and the core body temperature drops. One of the possible functions of sleeping is to give the heart a chance to rest after an active day, according to Harvard University's article "Characteristics of sleep." Still not completely understood, sleep may be an evolutionary strategy for forcing humans and animals to restore the body's health, sometimes against our own wishes.
Heightens CVS in REM Stages
Deep sleep is only half the story. In REM sleep, the cardiovascular system can become more active than in waking life. The function of this effect remains unclear, but heightened heart rate and blood pressure may be associated with the content of dreams from this stage of sleep, or both may be caused by neurological changes, according to dream researcher Allan Hobson in his book "Dream Drugstore." Additionally, increased blood circulation to the genitals in both men and women are common during REM sleep.
During this "activated" period of REM sleep, dangers to the CVS include heart attacks due to coronary heart disease. If you wake up with chest pain (angina), severe night sweats or a rapid heartbeat, contact 911 immediately. The Cleveland Clinic also notes that women with coronary heart disease may suffer sleep disturbance for months prior to a heart attack.
Prevents Cardiovascular Disease
As discussed, normal sleep prevents heart attacks by giving the heart a chance to rest. On the other hand, when sleep is disturbed or fractured through multiple awakenings, the cardiovascular system does not slow down during deep sleep. Relatedly, obstructive sleep apnea, a sleep disorder caused by breathing difficulties, can increase the chance of heart problems. People with obstructive sleep apnea have a heightened risk of cardiovascular disease, particularly hypertension, according to the American Academy of Sleep Research's review of research published in its journal "Sleep" in 2007. By watching out for the signs of sleep apnea, such as breathing difficulties, extraordinarily loud snoring and daytime irritability, people can ensure the health of the CVS during sleep.
