Young adults suffering from regular insomnia are at greater risk of developing heart rhythm disorders.
- Insomnia is a risk factor for heart problems in young adults.
- Affected people are more likely to suffer from atrial fibrillation.
- This disease can lead to heart failure or promote the formation of blood clots, which cause strokes.
Sleep is essential to health. A new study published in Journal of the American Heart Association confirms this. According to its authors, young adults who suffer from insomnia are more likely to have cardiovascular problems. According to their data, these people are more likely to develop cardiac arrhythmia.
Insomnia: how to analyze its effects on cardiovascular health?
“We know a lot about risk factors for atrial fibrillation in middle-aged and older adults, but less about risk factors earlier in lifeexplains Dr. Allison Gaffey, lead author of the study, psychologist in the section of cardiovascular medicine at the Yale School of Medicine. To better guide prevention efforts, we have begun to focus on young adults.” Their work draws on the medical records of more than a million American veterans. “Participants were on average 28 years old at the start of the study., specify the authors. About 11% of them suffered from insomnia, confirmed by a medical diagnosis.
The participants were followed for more than fifteen years. A total of 4,168 cases of atrial fibrillation were diagnosed. “Veterans who were also diagnosed with insomnia at the start of the study had a 32% higher risk of atrial fibrillation than those who did not have sleep problems., note the authors. They add that other factors increased this risk: being a man, having a history of obesity, alcohol abuse, sleep apnea, high blood pressure, heart disease, heart failure or psychiatric disorders. “But even after accounting for these factors, the higher risk of atrial fibrillation in people with insomnia persisted.”they specify.
Insomnia: what are the consequences of atrial fibrillation?
Atrial fibrillation is an irregular heartbeat. It can lead to blood clots, strokes, heart failure and other types of cardiovascular problems.
In the case of this research, the authors specify that the results do not necessarily concern the general population. “Veterans face particular health risks due to their service history, including a higher risk of traumatic brain injury, psychiatric disorders such as post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, depression, and musculoskeletal disorders. -skeletaldevelops Dr. Allison Gaffey. They may also suffer more from chronic pain. any of these factors may affect their ability to get a good night’s sleep.” But according to her, it is necessary to work on the links between insomnia and cardiovascular risk in the general population.
Cardiovascular disorders: how to combat sleep disorders?
15 to 20% of French people suffer from insomnia according to Inserm. The author points out that stress and anxiety are often the cause of difficulty sleeping. However, there is no inevitability: firstly, she recommends working on the sources of daily stress in order to reduce it as much as possible. If that’s not enough, she suggests consulting a healthcare professional, who can prescribe cognitive-behavioral therapy, diagnose sleep apnea or dispense sleeping pills. “Lifestyle approaches, including increasing physical activity, changing diet, and reducing caffeine intake, may also help improve sleep“, she emphasizes.
