Sleep Well: Disturbed sleep is more deadly than lack of sleep

Mumbai, December 14: Waking up several times during the night makes you short-tempered and depressed, making it more dangerous than not having enough sleep. It affects memory, concentration, making tough to negotiate social situations and the ability to deal with the world.

They found those who woke up in the middle of the night were 99 percent more likely to be heart attack victims. And they had a 37 percent raised risk of stroke.

Other symptoms of poor sleep were also linked to increased chance of ischaemic heart disease the medical term for a heart attack or severe angina. Those who took more than half an hour to nod off had a 52 percent increased risk.

And those who got less than six hours of sleep a night were 24 percent more likely to have a heart attack. Scientists said it is unclear whether disturbed snoozing actually triggers heart problems, or whether it is an underlying symptom of being unwell.

But either way, they said GPs should be aware that older adults who struggle to sleep are at greater risk.

Speaking at the European Society of Cardiology Congress in Barcelona, lead researcher Dr Nobuo Sasaki, from Hiroshima University, said “Our results support the hypothesis that sleep deterioration may lead to cardiovascular disease.

“Poor sleep in patients with ischaemic heart disease may be characterised by shorter sleep and brief moments of waking up.”

Dr Sasaki said the findings may be due to poor sleep particularly the stress of waking up at night disrupting pulse, breathing and blood pressure. This is turn raises strain on the heart.