Sleep Deprivation and too much sleep may Affect Your Heart

Not getting enough sleep has been linked with feeling drowsy, having difficulty focusing, inability to solve problems, and irritability. Chronic sleep deprivation has also been linked to a wide variety of serious health problems, including high blood pressure, heart disease and stroke. Does getting too much sleep have the same risks?
A recent study, published in the February 7 online version of European Heart Journal, looked at data from 15 studies in eight countries, involving nearly 475,000 adults ages 30 and older whose sleep patterns were tracked for up to 25 years. Incidents of heart disease and stroke among all participants were just over 16,000.

The information gained from the study confirmed the link between sleep deprivation and heart disease or stroke. In participants who slept six or fewer hours a night, the chance of developing or dying from heart disease or stroke was 48 percent greater than those who averaged seven or eight hours of sleep per night, the amount of sleep considered in the normal range. Additionally, those who got more than nine hours of sleep per night were also more likely to succumb to heart disease or stroke. This increased association for health risks was true for both men and women.

Researchers noted that the association between longer sleeping hours and an increased risk for heart disease and stroke were based on the participants responses and that they could not rule out that existing health problems requiring more sleep were the link to heart disease and stroke, rather than the longer sleeping time itself.

Most adults need anywhere from 7-8 ½ hours of sleep per night, while younger children (including teens) need more. Experts recommend seeing a medical professional in the case of either too little or too much sleep. Both could be signs of other problems, or pose health risks.