Connection Between Sleep and Cardiovascular Disease

[sos007]

The following is an excerpt from the podcast show notes from the Dr. Peter Attia Drive Podcast released April 17th, 2019.

podcastnotes.org/2019/04/17...

"Cardiovascular Disease is Accelerated by Sleep Deprivation

Let’s look at daylight savings time:

- In the spring (when we lose an hour of sleep) – there’s a 24% rise in heart attacks the following day;

- In the fall (when we gain an hour of sleep) – there’s a 21% reduction in heart attacks the following day;

Related:

The same profile happens for car accidents and suicide attempts/completions:

- Federal judges actually hand out harsher sentences during daylight savings time in the spring when we lose an hour of sleep (they’re moodier and less empathetic);

- In the fall – more lenient sentences;

One study found that getting an average of 5 hours of sleep or less over a 5 year period leads to a 200-300% increased risk for calcification of the coronary artery

Why?

People who are under-slept have overactive sympathetic nervous systems (the flight or fight nervous system);

This results in more circulating adrenaline, higher spikes of cortisol, and blunted levels of growth hormone (all of which are tied to cardiovascular disease);

A loss of only 3 hours of sleep will result in:

- An increase in blood pressure;

- An increase in heart rate;

Sleep and Diet

Building off the increased risk for cardiovascular disease from a lack of sleep, also consider that people who are sleep deprived tend to eat more junk food – which only adds to their risk for cardiovascular disease;

“The single greatest tool in my arsenal to eat well is to sleep well” – Peter Attia

AND people who are sleep deprived will have out-of-whack insulin/glucose levels (they have hyperinsulinemia) – only worsening the problem;

One study found that for people who were under-slept (<6 hours/night of sleep) on a weight loss diet, 70% of the weight loss came from lean muscle mass and not fat

“Your body will ruthlessly hold onto its fat when you are underslept”

-----------------------------------------

Therefore, part of the prescription for lifestyle modification to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and the biomarkers associated with that risk, is to engage in optimal sleep hygiene that includes 8.5 to 9 hours in bed, in order to get 8 hours of actual sleep.

Sleep sufficiency is also tied to mental acuity and athletic performance - note that Lebron James as well as Roger Federer are reported to sleep a full 12 hours per day.

Good luck to all.

[weee]

My sleep has been rubbish since I started back on statins.. What a conundrum...

[sos007 Ambassador in reply to weee]

If you haven't measured your LDL-P or ApoB then get those measured. The results may free you from the need for statins. If LDL-P values are below 1000, then the value of LDL-C is of no relevance to CVD risk.

To better understand the process of Atherosclerosis and the role played by cholesterol, watch this video:

youtu.be/8GDx5sObceI(Not working as expected?)

There's a link under the video to the slides that accompany the presentation:

slideshare.net/ancestralhea...

[Adaboo in reply to sos007]

I’ve had a Lp(a) test but don’t know where to get the ones you mention? LDL-P and C. Will gp do these or do I need private testing like the Lp(a)?

[sos007 Ambassador in reply to Adaboo]

You have to go to a private lab

[Adaboo in reply to sos007]

Ok thanks, thought so. I only know of bluecrest screening but they don’t do the tests you mention, just the Lp(a). I’ll try find one.

[Rob6868]

Brilliant and it sounds just like my life and my sleep deprivation all my adult life. My account in part to my heart disease. I'm always on the go and in the fight or flight model perhaps there is something in this?Where did you get the book please .

[sos007 Ambassador in reply to Rob6868]

Easily available online through Amazon and other book outlets. I live in Canada so I ordered through Amazon.

You can watch his full presentation online through this Youtube url:

youtu.be/vCEjNNCFR5c(Not working as expected?)

[DakCB-UK]

But do you have CV problems due to bad sleep or bad sleep due to CV problems worsening or do the same factors cause both bad sleep and CV problems? Especially difficult to tell because statins often screw up sleep.

[sos007 Ambassador in reply to DakCB-UK]

Being overweight is the most common cause for sleep apnea which then compounds the CVD problem.

Sleep apnea has other physical causes as well such as a deviated septum.

If you are overweight, your first step to better sleep is to modify diet and lifestyle to try and lose excess weight. If you are not overweight there are other strategies for better sleep which are detailed in the book.

[sos007 Ambassador in reply to DakCB-UK]

See my response to Weee above on the subject of statins.

[Adaboo]

Ooh thanks Londinium, that’s kind of you. I’ll get hunting.