February is American Heart Month, the perfect occasion to talk about the relationship between cardiac health and sleep. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about one in three adults in the United States report not getting enough rest or sleep every day. Good sleep is essential for all our major body functions. Poor sleep causes more than just baggy eyes and an afternoon slump. It increases our risk of getting, or worsening, conditions like obesity, diabetes, and heart disease.

 

Why Healthy Sleep is Important
During sleep, our body undergoes an intense process of detoxication and self-repair. As we sleep, the brain cleans out toxins, and processes, organizes, and stores information. It releases chemicals and hormones to repair damaged organs and cells throughout the body. Have you noticed how tired you feel and how much more sleep you need when you are sick? During sleep, your immune system is busy releasing specialized cells to fight the bacteria or virus causing your illness.

 

As you snooze, the brain also coordinates your metabolic system, the group of chemical processes in the body that convert food into energy. When we stay up late, we often feel hungry. That is because the lack of sleep prevents your brain from properly balancing the hormones that allow you to perceive hunger and fullness.

 

These hormonal imbalances frequently lead to weight gain. People with poor sleep often have higher levels of “stress” hormones like cortisol and adrenaline, which raise heart rate and blood pressure, further increasing the chance of heart disease, heart attack and stroke. Finally, poor sleep endangers our health by threatening the eating and exercise habits that are the foundation of good health!  How many of us have canceled an intended workout or trip to the supermarket because we’re just too tired? Goodbye, groceries and gym. Hello, TV and takeout.

 

How to Sleep More Soundly
Sleep deprivation, often called poor sleep, sleeplessness and or sleep insufficiency, is defined by the National Institute of Health as the condition of not having sufficient length or quality of sleep to support alertness, performance, and health. Most adults need between seven to nine hours of sleep and getting less would be considered insufficient. Are you getting seven to nine hours of sleep but waking up several times, looking tired, and feeling frequent daytime sleepiness? You’re experiencing poor quality sleep.

 

The first step to getting better quality sleep is to assess and improve your sleep hygiene: the habits, behaviors, and environmental factors that lead to good sleep. The following is a list of Do’s and Don’ts recommended by the CDC. Choose which habits you’re ready to try and make a strong plan. Do what you can with what you have, where you are!

 

Sleep Hygiene Checklist:

• Create a bedtime routine – for example take a warm shower, drink tea and read, brush your teeth and go to bed. Our brains work best with established routines or patterns.
• Avoid artificial light a few hours before bedtime. This could mean using a blue light filter on your computer or smartphone and not using your electronic devices at least an hour before you get into bed. Blue light stimulates your brain to stay awake and attentive.
• Avoid napping during the day.
• Avoid eating or drinking large amounts of liquids a few hours before bedtime; this will prevent you from waking up to use the bathroom.
• Keep your bedroom cool, dark, and quiet.

 

It may not be possible to make all these suggested changes but do what’s in your control. For example, you can wear earplugs and an eye mask or bandana over your eyes, even if you can’t control the noise or light from other members of the household. Many of these actions are realistic and can be done long term, especially aiming to have a similar bedtime each night. One effective way to do so is to set a reoccurring phone alarm one hour before your intended bedtime so you know when it’s time to transition from housework, socializing, or TV to your pre-bedtime routine.

 

Getting Professional Help
Some people with severe sleep issues, such as insomnia, may need more than these practices to fall asleep. Fortunately, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) is a highly effective way to treat ongoing trouble sleeping (insomnia disorder). Certain kinds of thoughts and habits can lead to insomnia disorder. CBT-I uses methods to help you change your thoughts and habits around sleep. These can help you get to sleep, spend less time awake in bed, and feel better during the day.

 

They can include using your bed only for sleep and intimate activities, limiting your time in bed, changing your thoughts about sleep, and doing mindfulness activities to calm down your nervous system. CBT-I is most often done with a health care provider who talks with you about your sleep issues. To practice these techniques yourself, visit this app created by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs for veterans, as well as the general public.

 

Sleep is as essential to the body as breathing and eating. The quality and quantity of our daily sleep can impact almost every function in your body. You are what you eat, and your heart thrives when you sleep! Speak to your doctor about getting care for the many things that can affect sleep including pain, anxiety, sleep apnea, ringing in the ears, discomfort in pregnancy, and more. They may recommend a sleep study, which involves sleeping in a special clinic (or at home) where sensors monitor brain activity, heart rate, breathing, and body movements to diagnose disorders like sleep apnea and insomnia. This February, show your heart some love by taking action for better sleep.

 

Nereyda Franco, MPH, MCHE, is a senior health educator at the office of community and population health at Montefiore Health System.