A sound sleep of 8 hours is absolutely necessary for good health and well being .Not getting enough sleep can double the chances of dying from heart disease or stroke, particularly in people with risk factors like diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure and cholesterol, say researchers.
The findings in the Journal of the American Heart Association were based on 1,344 adults who were randomly selected for a sleep study in Pennsylvania.
The average age of the participants was 49, and 42% were men. They were recruited to undergo a series of health screenings, and spend one night in a sleep laboratory.
Just over 39% were found to have at least three risk factors for heart disease, which when clustered together are known as metabolic syndrome.
These included a body mass index (BMI) higher than 30, elevated cholesterol, blood pressure, fasting blood sugar and triglyceride levels.
Participants were followed for an average of 16 years. Some 22% died during that period. Those with metabolic syndrome who slept less than six hours in the lab were 2.1 times more likely to die of heart disease or stroke than those who did not have at least three risk factors for heart disease.
“The short sleepers with metabolic syndrome were also 1.99 times more likely to die from any cause compared to those without metabolic syndrome,” said the study.
The high-risk participants who got more than six hours of sleep faced a 1.49 times higher risk of dying than healthier subjects. Experts recommend that adults get at least seven to eight hours of a sleep per night.
“If you have several heart disease risk factors, taking care of your sleep and consulting with a clinician if you have insufficient sleep is important if you want to lower your risk of death from heart disease or stroke,” said lead author Julio Fernandez-Mendoza, an assistant professor at Penn State College of Medicine.
