Insufficient Sleep May Worsen Cardiovascular Health Measures

New research suggests that sleeping only five hours per night over a week can have negative effects on cardiovascular health. A study conducted by Penn State found that restricting sleep to just five hours per night throughout the week led to deteriorating cardiovascular health, including heart rate and blood pressure. It was also discovered that trying to catch up on sleep during the weekend was not sufficient to normalize these measures.

The study involved 15 healthy men between the ages of 20 and 35, who participated in an 11-day inpatient sleep study. For the first three nights, they were allowed up to 10 hours of sleep to establish a baseline level. The following five nights involved restricting sleep to five hours per night, followed by two recovery nights with 10 hours of sleep. Resting heart rates and blood pressure were measured every two hours during the day to evaluate the effects on cardiovascular health.

The results showed that heart rate increased by almost one beat per minute with each successive day of restricted sleep. By the end of the study, the average heart rate had increased from 69 BPM to nearly 78 BPM. Systolic blood pressure also increased by about 0.5 mmHg per day. Despite having the opportunity to rest during the recovery period, heart rate and blood pressure did not return to baseline levels.

The findings suggest that longer periods of sleep recovery may be necessary to fully recover from consecutive nights of sleep deprivation. Sleep deprivation not only impacts cardiovascular health but also affects weight, mental health, focus, and relationships.

The study highlights the importance of prioritizing adequate sleep for overall health. Further research is needed to fully understand the long-term effects of sleep deprivation on cardiovascular disease risk.