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Irregular sleep doubles the risk of atherosclerosis


[파이낸셜뉴스] Irregular sleeping habits can increase the risk of arteriosclerosis and cardiovascular disease in adults over the age of 45, a new study has found. In particular, it was found that having an irregular sleep time of 2 hours or more per week was up to twice as likely to develop arteriosclerosis compared to those who maintained regular sleep.

Coronary artery calcium 1.4 times↑… Concern about cardiovascular disease

Dr. Kelsey Poole of Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Tennessee, USA, published the results of a study that revealed the connection between sleep duration and arteriosclerosis for the first time in the world in the Journal of the American Heart Association on the 15th (local time).

“Maintaining regular sleep hours and reducing variability can not only help improve sleep, but are easily adjustable lifestyle habits in an effort to lower cardiovascular risk in older adults,” said Dr. Kelsey Poole.

Arteriosclerosis refers to the blockage of blood vessels by the adhesion of cholesterol to the innermost lining of blood vessels, just as old water pipes rust and foreign substances accumulate on the inner walls and narrow the pipes. This can reduce the amount of oxygen and other nutrients reaching the bloodstream and other parts of the body due to the narrowed arteries. In severe cases, blood clots can form that block arteries, leading to a heart attack or stroke.

Regular sleep habits help lower cardiovascular risk

The researchers followed more than 2,000 men and women across the United States between the ages of 45 and 84 without cardiovascular disease for four years.

More than half of the study participants were female: 38% Caucasian, 28% Black African, 23% Hispanic, and 11% Asian. Participants wore a wrist device that detects when they slept and when they were awake, and kept a sleep diary for one week in a row. They also measured sleep disturbances related to breathing and sleep stages throughout the night, wakefulness after sleep onset, and heart rate. In addition, the participants’ occupation, lifestyle, and eating habits were also recorded.

According to the record analysis, the largest irregularity in sleep time was a deviation of more than 2 hours within a week, and those with the largest irregularity in sleep time had a difference of more than 90 minutes in falling asleep time within a week.

As a result of the analysis, those who had irregular sleep hours had 1.4 times higher coronary calcium levels than those who had regular sleep. The higher the number, the higher the risk of cardiovascular disease. In addition, those who slept irregularly were 1.12 times more likely to have plaque in the carotid artery and twice as likely to have abnormal findings such as arteriosclerosis or blood stiffness in arteries near the ankle.

The American Heart Association added enough sleep to its cardiovascular disease prevention guidelines in June last year. This is because getting enough sleep promotes healing, improves brain function, and lowers the risk of chronic disease. The association suggests that adults should get 7 to 9 hours of sleep per night.

[email protected] Reporter Kim Man-gi

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