You might exercise daily, eat healthfully and brush and floss your teeth twice a day, but if you’re under- or over-sleeping you may be putting yourself at risk for heart disease. A new study has found that people who sleep fewer than five hours a day have more than double the risk of cardiovascular disease. But getting more than seven hours of sleep was also found to increase your risk. In fact sleeping more than nine hours was linked to a 50 percent increase.
In the study the most at-risk group was found to be adults under 60 years who routinely slept fewer than five hours in a 24-hour period. Other recent research has found that marathon sleep sessions on weekends cannot make up for chronic sleep deprivation. Furthermore, chronic sleep deprivation can have negative emotional consequences - especially among young people .
Sleep is a critical component of wellness, but one that is frequently overlooked, short-changed or taken for granted. Some people even boast that they don’t need much sleep to function. Well functioning is one thing, but to be at our best most people require optimal rest; and, over time, both under- and over-sleeping can have negative effects on your physical and mental health.
You might exercise daily, eat healthfully and brush and floss your teeth twice a day, but if you’re under- or over-sleeping you may be putting yourself at risk for heart disease. A new study has found that people who sleep fewer than five hours a day have more than double the risk of cardiovascular disease. But getting more than seven hours of sleep was also found to increase your risk. In fact sleeping more than nine hours was linked to a 50 percent increase.
In the study the most at-risk group was found to be adults under 60 years who routinely slept fewer than five hours in a 24-hour period. Other recent research has found that marathon sleep sessions on weekends cannot make up for chronic sleep deprivation. Furthermore, chronic sleep deprivation can have negative emotional consequences - especially among young people .
Sleep is a critical component of wellness, but one that is frequently overlooked, short-changed or taken for granted. Some people even boast that they don’t need much sleep to function. Well functioning is one thing, but to be at our best most people require optimal rest; and, over time, both under- and over-sleeping can have negative effects on your physical and mental health.
Be Well,
Carolyn