The Benefits of Sleep for Those with a high risk of cardiovascular disease or Type 2 diabetes.

How do you feel after a poor night’s sleep? It’s not uncommon for concentration, alertness, energy, appetite and mood to be affected the next day.

In this “fog” you may find yourself driving straight past your normal turn-off, for fast food or heading to the vending machine for a 3 pm pick me up, forgetting a key item at the shops, or trailing off mid-sentence with your mind going blank.

As a health care practitioner and Nutritionist, I am always reminding my patients that getting enough sleep is crucial for our physical and mental well-being, but few people understand the importance of maintaining a consistent sleep schedule when it comes to blood sugar control and cardiovascular health.

You see, getting enough sleep every night is key for Cardio-metabolic health as well as for reducing stres, improving overall health, and helping you stay productive and alert. 

Here’s what you need to know about why it's so important for you to make sure that you’re getting quality rest each night:

When Sleep Dips, Blood Sugar Rises

Whilst we can’t necessarily feel it, testing and research show our blood sugar levels are hugely influenced by our sleep. In fact, adults reporting five hours of sleep or less per night were 2.5 times more likely to have diabetes compared to those who slept the recommended seven to eight hours per night. 

Whilst the exact link between poor sleep and diabetes isn’t clear, it’s suggested that sleep deprivation may lead to increased activity of the sympathetic nervous system (the fight or flight response), which negatively influences several hormonal pathways that govern our metabolism.

The Heart Aches for Sleep

This fight or flight response is also a main reason why long-term sleep issues are associated with cardiovascular diseases such as high blood pressure and heart attack. 

Due to the physical stress poor sleep creates, the body starts to produce elevated levels of ‘stress’ hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline. The corresponding side effects of this are increases in blood pressure, heart rate and contraction, increasing the risk of cardiac diseases.

This was shown in a decade-long study, demonstrating five hours of sleep or less per night resulted in a 45% increased risk of heart attack. Another study found that sleep loss can activate inflammatory pathways in the body that are also linked with cardiovascular disease.

Side effects of a poor nights sleep.

A Lack of Zzz’s Cause an Increase in Kg’s

Similarly, when it comes to weight, the more sleep loss you experience, the greater the risk of becoming overweight or obese. It appears a primary reason for this is that dysfunctional sleep increases appetite levels. 

Specifically, sleep loss was found to decrease levels of our appetite-suppressing hormone, leptin, and increase levels of our appetite-stimulating compound, called ghrelin. This can make us desire more food and have more difficulty stopping eating, leading us to consume more calories than we need.

Sleep is also beneficial for managing stress levels - and stress is something you want to keep in check when it comes to heart health.

If you don't get enough sleep or have an irregular sleeping pattern, this can contribute to higher levels of cortisol (the stress hormone) in the body. Too much cortisol can then lead to other health issues besides increased blood pressure. A lack of sleep can also carry over into other areas of life such as work performance or personal relationships.

Here are five tips I give my patients to help establish a regular sleep pattern.

Tip One

Light in the morning and darkness at night. Each of us has an inbuilt body clock, called the circadian rhythm. When you are exposed to the sun each morning, your circadian rhythm triggers the production of the stimulating hormone cortisol, and upon nightfall, triggers the sleep-promoting hormone melatonin.

However, when we spend most of our time exposed to artificial lights in our homes, on public transport, in our workplaces and/or by using electronic devices, our bodies miss these environmental queues; causing our circadian rhythm, and hence our sleep, to become disrupted.

In particular, the blue light emitted from digital devices, such as phones, tablets, computers and TVs is especially stimulating to your body. This blue light convinces your brain it’s daytime and that it is appropriate to be awake and alert! However, many of us use these devices into the evening, when we should be winding down and exposing ourselves to gentler lighting, so we can encourage our melatonin to rise and sleep to come easily.

Therefore, increasing your exposure to sunlight in the early morning and throughout your day, using candles or yellow/orange coloured lighting in the evening, and turning off digital devices at least an hour before bedtime will all help to restore your body’s natural, sleep-promoting circadian rhythm.

Tip Two

Set up an evening routine – Set a regular bedtime and wake time - aiming for 8-9 hours of sleep. Dim the lights (or use lamps instead of bright lights), and ensure your bedroom is at a cool temperature. Take a bath with relaxing essential oils like lavender. Read a book instead of watching tv or looking at the blue light on your phone. Listen to relaxing music or sleep meditation. Journalling, especially if you have a “busy mind”.

Tip Three

Take naps sparingly – Avoid naps longer than 45 minutes unless you are sick or quite sleep deprived.

Tip Four

Avoid caffeine late in the day –  I try to avoid coffee or tea after midday. Other products that contain caffeine include chocolate, soda (Pepsi/Coke), energy drinks, some supplements, medications and slimming products. Avoid alcohol within 3 hours of bedtime is also ideal.

Tip Five

Magnesium can reduce muscle tightness, helping the body relax into a more restful sleep, which is especially useful after a busy day. This vital mineral can also reduce cortisol and increase melatonin levels. Magnesium has been shown to support the onset of deep sleep cycles, which are essential for your sleep to be restorative and healing. Take as a supplement and/or soak in a bath with magnesium flakes.

Can you now see how establishing and sticking to a consistent sleep schedule is essential for anyone looking to manage their cardiovascular risk and blood sugar levels? When you get a good night’s rest, every night, the positive health impacts ripple out across your whole life! So let’s prioritise sleep from tonight on!

Let’s Get Sleepy

Whilst ongoing sleep dysfunction can increase the risk of developing conditions such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease and obesity, addressing any disruptions to your circadian rhythm will re-establish healthy sleep patterns, positively affecting your long-term health.

Use the lifestyle suggestions shared above to get started, and consider making an appointment for a tailored holistic plan tailored specifically for getting your sleep back on track. Your blood sugar, heart and waistline will thank you!

REFERENCES

• Extent and Health Consequences of Chronic Sleep Loss and Sleep Disorders. In: Colten HR, Altevogt BM, editors. Sleep disorders and sleep deprivation: An unmet public health problem. Washington (USA): National Academies Press; 2006. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK19961/

• Schuette SA et al. Bioavailability of Magnesium Diglycinate us Magnesium Oxide in Patients with Ileal Resection. Journal of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition, Vol 18, No5, 1994

  Abbasi B, Kimiagar M, Sadeghniiat K, Shirazi MM, Hedayati M, Rashidkhani B. The effect of magnesium supplementation on primary insomnia in elederly: A double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial. J Res Med Sci. 2012;17(12): 1161-1169.

  Held K, Antonijevic IA, Kunzel H, Uhr M, Wetter TC, Golly IC, Steiger A, Murck H. Oral Mg+ Supplementation Reverses Age-Related Neuroendocrine and sleep EEG Changes in Humans. Pharmacopsychiatry. 2002; 35(4): 135-43.

• 1Extent and Health Consequences of Chronic Sleep Loss and Sleep Disorders. In: Colten HR, Altevogt BM, editors. Sleep disorders and sleep deprivation: An unmet public health problem. Washington (USA): National Academies Press; 2006. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK19961/