Poor sleep and chronic stress can affect more than your energy levels. Learn how sleep debt, ongoing stress and unhealthy sleep habits may influence cardiovascular health and why quality rest matters.
Stress is a part of life. When we are under stress the body goes into ‘fight or flight’ for a short time releasing hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline. These hormones help us to react quickly to challenges. These systems are designed to relax after the stressful situation, and to allow the body to recover and repair itself.
The problem begins when stress becomes chronic. When stress is chronic, the body’s stress hormones and inflammatory responses are constantly activated. High levels of cortisol and adrenaline can increase blood pressure, place a burden on the heart and cause changes to the heart’s rhythm and muscle. Cortisol also tends to cause the body to retain sodium and fluid, which can raise blood pressure.
Chronic stress can also harm the endothelium, the inner lining of blood vessels. Vascular inflammation and damage can result from inflammatory mediators such as TNF-α and interleukins. These changes can ultimately result in cholesterol being deposited in the arteries (atherosclerosis). This can put you at risk for disease such as angina and heart attack. High blood pressure can lead to heart disease and stroke over time.
Sleep deprivation can make these effects worse. Regularly sleeping fewer than six hours a nite can impair the body’s ability to rest and repair and has been associated with a higher risk of metabolic problems such as diabetes and metabolic syndrome. Poor quality sleep can be just as scary. Conditions such as sleep apnea can cause repeated interruptions to breathing during sleep leading to daytime tiredness, difficulty in controlling blood pressure and blood sugar and an increased risk of cardiovascular and neurological complications.
The first step to breaking the cycle is knowing the warning signs and understanding your own risk factors. Health check-up can check up parameters like body mass index, body composition, blood sugar and other health markers. Dietary counseling can help develop regular, balanced eating habits, especially during times of stress when emotional eating and excess calorie intake can become the norm.
Regular physical activity is just as important. Both aerobic and strength training are helpful. A good place to start is 15-20 minutes a day, 4-5 days a week.
And lastly, sleep. Cut down on screen time to about an hour before bed and skip caffeine or alcohol near bedtime. Both of these can improve the quality of your sleep. Stress management isn’t just about feeling calmer. It’s a key part of safeguarding your long-term heart, metabolic and brain health.
-This article is authored by Dr. Sunil Dwivedi, Consultant – Cardiology at Manipal Hospital Millers Road