Doctors at the Sleep Health Centers in Boston report a study that shows getting less than six hours of sleep a night increased the risk of dying. During the eight years of the study, dying of heart-related diseases increased by 110 percent. That’s more
Sleep Well, Live Longer
Doctors at the Sleep Health Centers in
Boston
report a study that shows getting less than six hours of sleep a night increased the risk of dying. During the eight years of the study, dying of heart-related diseases increased by 110 percent. That’s more than double.
It makes sense, they say. When you sleep, your blood pressure drops, your heart rate drops and the heart doesn’t have to work as much.
The optimum sleep time reported was six to nine hours. Sleeping more than nine hours a night was also risky. It increased the risk of death from non-cardiovascular causes by the same percentage.
Going to bed an hour or just a half hour earlier could have a profound effect on your health, happiness and safety.
You could reduce your diabetes risk. Harvard researchers find that too little sleep reduces levels of leptin, the hormone that tells us to stop eating. More weight increases diabetes risk.
You would be less likely to develop heard disease. A 10-year study shows that women who got less than 7 hours of sleep at night had a higher risk of heart disease. Sleep deprivation raises blood pressure and increases stress.
You would be happier. The National Sleep Foundation says the sleep-deprived are less satisfied with life and more likely to be angry. Dissatisfaction and anger were three times lower for those who got enough sleep.
You could keep yourself and others safer. Studies show that a drowsy driver is as dangerous as one who is drunk. A National Sleep Foundation survey shows that sleepy drivers cause more than 100,000 motor vehicle accidents a year resulting in 1,550 deaths and 71,000 injuries.
Craig Raughton is a previous member of the Board of Directors of Meeting Professionals International (MPI) Chicago Area Chapter and is a mortgage banker with Compass Mortgage. If you would like to reach Craig, please email craig@compmort.com or via phone at 815-207-7997.
