Impact of Sleep on Heart Health
The Importance of Sleep
Sleep isn’t just “downtime” between our days. It’s as essential to good health as proper nutrition and regular physical activity. Failing to get enough quality sleep can adversely affect our mental and physical health, including the cardiovascular system generally and the heart specifically.
Learning about that relationship causes some people to ask their doctors, “Can lack of sleep cause heart problems?” Others have more specific questions, like, “Does lack of sleep cause heart palpitations or heart flutters?” or “How should you sleep to avoid a heart attack?”
This article addresses sleep and heart health.
How Sleep Benefits the Heart
Sleep supports heart health in several ways. Some of the most important connections include:
Sleep's Role in Reducing Stress Hormones
Sleeping soundly helps your body lower its levels of stress hormones like cortisol. When you don’t get enough rest, your body reacts as if you’re in distress, keeping your cortisol levels high, which increases your risk of cardiovascular issues, weight gain and other health problems.
Sleep's Impact on Blood Pressure Regulation
During restful sleep, your blood pressure can drop by as much as 20% in a process called nocturnal dipping. Failing to get adequate sleep (and not experiencing dipping) is associated with a higher risk of issues like heart attacks, strokes and kidney problems.
Sleep and Its Contribution to Heart Rate Variability
Heart rate variability refers to the time between heartbeats. Higher HRV is associated with relaxation and is also a marker of cardiovascular fitness. Poor sleep can lower HRV, while an adequate amount of quality sleep supports higher HRV.
Sleep's Connection to Metabolism and Weight Management
Adequate sleep helps your body regulate the hormones that control metabolism and hunger. On the other hand, lack of sleep can cause hormonal problems, increase your desire for high-calorie foods and trigger overeating. Consequently, sleep deprivation and obesity are closely linked.
Improving Sleep for Heart Health
From sleep deprivation and blood pressure to lack of sleep and heart rate or rhythm issues, there’s a strong and clear correlation between sleep and heart health. Consequently, it’s essential to make getting enough sleep a top priority for optimal wellness.
If you struggle to get enough high-quality sleep, talk with your Baptist Health primary care doctor. They can work with you to find the cause of your sleep problems and address them.
If appropriate, they’ll refer you to our sleep medicine experts who specialize in treating sleep disorders. They may recommend in-lab or in-home sleep studies, assistance from a sleep educator and other interventions to help you sleep better.
If you don’t have a Baptist Health primary care doctor, use our online provider directory to find one.
Next Steps and Useful Resources
Learn More About Heart Care at Baptist Health
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Innovations in Heart Care
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