Impact on Cardiovascular Health: Insufficient Exercise Compensates for Poor Sleep Quality
Poor Sleep's Immediate Impact on Heart Health Unveiled
A new study spearheaded by researchers from Uppsala University sheds light on the prompt impact of insufficient sleep on heart health, especially inflammation-related markers.
The crossover study involved 16 young, healthy men. Participants underwent sessions of restful sleep and poor sleep, with scientists examining their biomarkers after each. The results revealed that poor sleep for just three nights boosted biomarkers indicative of increased inflammation and heart disease risk.
While the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends adults get at least seven hours of sleep per night, achieving this minimum can be challenging due to stress or health issues. This new study, however, emphasizes the urgent need to prioritize good sleep quality to prevent immediate cardiovascular consequences.
Researchers conducted the study over two sessions, each lasting three nights in a sleep lab. During the first session, the men experienced restricted sleep, getting around 4.25 hours. Blood samples were collected in the mornings and evenings, as well as before and after high-intensity exercise sessions. In the second session, participants enjoyed a normal night's sleep of approximately 8.5 hours.
The study analyzed 88 proteins related to cardiovascular disease, such as leptin, lipoprotein lipase, and galectin-9. The researchers found that short-term sleep restriction altered participants' biomarkers, elevating proteins linked to an increased cardiovascular disease risk.
Exercise was found to offer some mitigation but could not entirely negate the effects of poor sleep. While exercise did influence protein levels to some extent, participants still experienced increases in 16 proteins associated with cardiovascular disease.
"The upregulated set included several stress, interleukin, and chemokine-related proteins," the study authors noted. Additionally, beneficial proteins connected to positive exercise effects, like BDNF, saw elevations regardless of sleep status. However, these increases were less pronounced in individuals with sleep restriction.
The study reveals that short sleep restriction contributes to biological changes in young, healthy men, highlighting the significance of good sleep habits for cardiovascular health.
Cheng-Han Chen, a board-certified interventional cardiologist, spoke to Medical News Today about the study findings. He stated, "this biomarker-based study found changes in blood chemistry associated with inflammation after a few nights of sleep restriction."
Chen noted that the results were "not entirely surprising," as poor sleep can affect numerous health factors beyond cardiovascular health, such as endocrine and immune function.
Following the study's release, experts emphasized the importance of maintaining a consistent sleep schedule, practicing good sleep "hygiene," and adopting healthier habits to improve sleep quality and reduce the risk of activating harmful proteins linked to sleep restriction. Dr. Harneet Walia, medical director of sleep for Miami Cardiac & Vascular Institute, further noted that the findings add to the body of literature for the association of sleep restriction with a pro-inflammatory state and significant health consequences.
The researchers are encouraged by the study's findings but stress that more research is needed to determine the impact of sleep restriction on other demographics, particularly older adults and women.
- The study at Uppsala University unveiled the immediate impact of poor sleep on heart health, specifically inflammation-related markers.
- Poor sleep for just three nights boosted biomarkers indicative of increased inflammation and heart disease risk, as shown in the study.
- To prevent immediate cardiovascular consequences, good sleep quality needs to be prioritized, according to the study authors.
- The study involved 16 young, healthy men, who underwent sessions of restful sleep and poor sleep, with scientists examining their biomarkers after each.
- Sessions were conducted over two periods, each lasting three nights in a sleep lab, with the men experiencing restricted sleep (around 4.25 hours) in the first session.
- The study's findings not only emphasize the significance of good sleep habits for cardiovascular health but also highlight the potential impact on overall health and wellness, including mental health, nutrition, fitness, and exercise.
