Research & Publications

How Much Sleep Do You Need?

Date Posted: Saturday, February 6th, 2016 by Alan Berger

You probably know that heart disease is the leading cause of death in the US and worldwide. According to MedicalNewsToday.com, there are over 600,000 heart-related deaths annually which costs you and our country $109b each year.

An article in Philly.com today titled Getting to the "Heart" of Sleep focuses on heart disease as it relates to sleep habits. Yes, people who do not sleep enough put themselves at a higher risk for heart disease. In one Mayo Clinic study, a sampling of adults over the age of 45 slept less than 6 hours each night and their physiology suggested that they were twice as likely to have a heart attack or stroke as people who slept 6-8 hours each night. The sampling is significant because 28% percent of adults - over 1/4 of our adult population - report that they sleep less than 6 hours each night.

In another study performed by the Mayo Clinic, people who slept less than 6 hours each night experienced endothelial dysfunction, a condition where blood vessels don't work as well as they should. Endothelial dysfunction is commonly found in people at risk for heart attacks.

Sleep apnea can also cause people to sleep less than 6 hours. It can lead to high blood pressure and also can increase the risk of heart attack and stroke. As proof, a Mayo Clinic study of men with severe sleep apnea (OSA) concluded that they were 58% more likely to develop heart disease than men without it.

The bottom line is this: it's not exactly clear why sleeping less affects the heart to such a great degree. But it does, and negatively affects many bodily functions including blood sugar levels and blood pressure. Get your sleep. Strive for 7-9 hours of sleep each night. Getting less than 6 hours of sleep nightly puts you in a category you don't want to be in.