(05-09-12) Get more sleep and significantly lower your risk of stroke and heart disease

by John Phillip

(NaturalNews) A rapidly growing number of health-minded individuals understand
that vascular disorders including stroke and heart are largely the result of
preventable lifestyle practices that combine to dramatically increase risk of
disease. Most people know that a natural diet of healthy, fresh greens, nuts
and seeds alter genetic expression to maintain vibrant health. It is less known
that sleeping fewer than six or more than nine hours each night increases the
risk associated with these potentially deadly conditions.

Increasingly, adults are becoming overworked and more stressed due to
workplace and family life circumstances. In addition to following a poor diet,
these individuals tend to sleep less and unknowingly place themselves at
greater risk for reduced quality of life and an early death. Researchers from
the University of Alabama at Birmingham have published the result of a study in
the American Academy of Sleep Medicine journal that explains how sleeping fewer
than six hours each day increases the risk of stroke symptoms among middle-aged
to older adults who are of normal weight and at low risk for obstructive sleep
apnea (OSA).

Short sleep duration is a significant modifiable risk factor for stroke and
cardiovascular disease
To conduct the study, researchers followed 5,666 individuals for three years
to see what role a lack of sleep had on stroke risk. The participants had no
history of stroke or ischemic disease, and the scientists adjusted for body-
mass-index to account for any weight disparities among the participants. The
study team recorded the first stroke symptoms, along with demographic
information, stroke risk factors, depression symptoms and various health
behaviors.

Researchers found that taking fewer than six hours of sleep each night was
strongly associated with a greater incidence of stroke symptoms for middle-aged
to older adults, even beyond other risk factors. The lead study author, Dr.
Megan Ruiter noted "In employed middle-aged to older adults, relatively free of
major risk factors for stroke such as obesity and sleep-disordered breathing,
short sleep duration may exact its own negative influence on stroke
development."

Insufficient sleep patterns or excess sleep (defined as fewer than six hours
or more than nine hours each night) is now seen as a modifiable risk pattern
exerting as much influence on disease outcome as diet, physical activity or
smoking a pack of cigarettes per day. Dr. Ruiter concluded "These results may
serve as a preliminary basis for using sleep treatments to prevent the
development of stroke." In addition to following your healthy lifestyle, be
certain to closely monitor daily sleep habits to significantly lower risk of
stroke and vascular disorders.

Sources for this article include:
http://www.aasmnet.org/articles.aspx?id=1818
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/06/120611092341.htm
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2012-06/aaos-tro053112.php
http://www.medicaldaily.com

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