Whether you can make it on five hours or eight, at some point, you have to enjoy some shut-eye to function properly the next day. Sleep is the time when our bodies are able to rejuvenate and repair as our minds relax. But study upon study has shown that a majority of today’s society does not get an adequate amount of sleep each night – let alone the proper amount of quality sleep. Both a lack of quantity and quality of sleep have shown to have negative effects on the body. Not only do restless nights lead to days filled with fatigue and drowsiness, consistently poor sleeping cycles can lead to internal health problems, such as high blood pressure.
In fact, a study conducted on 784 men over the age of 65 found that 80 percent were unable to reach the stages of deep wave sleep, also known as non-REM sleep. When stages of non-REM sleep are not achieved, the body suffers. After 3.4 years, the study found that 234 out of the 784 men had developed hypertension, which is almost one-third of all of the tested subjects. Men who were found to spend less than 4 percent of their total sleep in non-REM sleep were at the highest risk of developing hypertension. The study determined that these men not only sleep for very little each night, but are more prone to sleep interruptions which only worsen the situation.
High Blood Pressure Is Widely Diagnosed
Deep sleep is known as restorative sleep, and when the body is unable to restore itself on a daily basis, internal health problems are bound to arise. Proper sleep is not only a problem amongst men 65 and older. In fact, studies have determined that one-third of all adults in the U.S. suffer from high blood pressure, which could be linked to poor sleep due to sleep apnea. Poor quality sleep can also lead to other health problems including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and others.
If you suffer from high blood pressure along with a daily feeling of being tired, fatigued, lacking energy or the inability to concentrate, you could possibly be suffering from sleep apnea.
We cannot diagnose sleep apnea; however, once a diagnosis is obtained from a sleep physician, treatment can begin. To learn more, simply call or email our office today! Keep your heart and your body healthy by treating sleep apnea.
