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Why you need to sort your messed up sleep schedule
Summary
For a healthy heart, having a fixed bed time is more crucial than the hours you sleep, claims a new study
This article does not intend to make you lose any sleep. On the contrary, it is an earnest attempt to highlight the risks of irregular sleep routines and patterns, which have come to light thanks to a new study published in the last week of November. The latest data from the study shows that not only do you need to get the prescribed seven to nine hours of shut-eye daily, it also has to be of good quality and —here’s the kicker—it needs to follow a regular pattern or schedule to ensure you are not at an increased risk of an adverse health event.
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A team of researchers from Canada, Australia and the United States of America analysed data of 72,269 people, aged 40 to 79, who were part of (biomedical database and research resource) UK Biobank and had no previous history of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE). The subjects wore a wrist-based activity tracker for a week and the team followed up on the subjects for eight years. The study, titled Sleep Regularity and Major Adverse Cardiovascular Events: A Device-Based Prospective Study in 72,269 UK Adults, found that irregular sleep was strongly associated with higher risk of cardiovascular diseases including stroke and heart attack. “Adequate sleep duration was not sufficient to offset these adverse effects among irregular sleepers," the scientists warn in the report.
Irregular sleep schedules are a by-product of modern life, which is packed with office, family, social and recreational demands and commitments. For instance, it is the party and wedding season in India at the moment, which means early mornings and late nights not only for the bride and groom but also their extended families, friends, colleagues and just about everyone involved in arranging the event.
“Irregular sleep schedules could be behaviourally induced as it commonly happens with adolescents and young adults due to job profile, shift work (such as in hotels, airports, sanitation, hospitals etc.,) and frequent flying. Diseases arising out of irregular sleep schedules are also called circadian rhythm disorders. Studies have shown that circadian rhythm disorders are linked to a high risk of cardiovascular diseases, hypertension, heart attacks and stroke," says Dr Vikas Mittal, pulmonologist at C.K. Birla Hospital in Delhi. The reason for these disorders, Mittal explains, is due to high levels of the stress hormone cortisol in the body, which can be aggravated due to deprived sleep.
Going back to the study, the scientists devised a scale ranging from 0 (very irregular sleepers) to 100 (perfectly regular sleepers) and marked the participants based on the data collected from the activity tracker. Anyone with a score less than 71.6 was an irregular sleeper, moderately irregular sleepers fell between the scores of 71.6 and 87.3 while those who slept regularly scored higher than 87.3. They found that irregular sleepers were 26% more likely to suffer a stroke, heart failure or heart attack than those who maintained regular sleep patterns. Moderately irregular sleepers were 8% more likely to do so.
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“Our results suggest that sleep regularity may be more relevant than sufficient sleep duration in modulating major adverse cardiovascular events risk. Indeed, joint analyses revealed that irregular sleep was associated with significantly higher cardiovascular risk, regardless of whether individuals met sleep duration recommendations or not. Our study prompts for a stronger focus on sleep regularity in public health guidelines and clinical practice," the researchers write. While acknowledging the limitations of their study, they also noted that adequate sleep offsets the health risk for moderate irregular sleepers but not for irregular sleepers.
Dr Ravi Shekhar Jha, director and head of the department of pulmonology at Fortis Escorts Hospital in Faridabad, says that irregular sleep patterns also impact metabolism, mental health, performance, immune system and can cause hormone imbalances. From elevating insulin resistance, obesity, and type 2 diabetes to worsening anxiety, depression and impairing memory, decision making and cognitive function, poor sleep patterns can have a serious impact on your overall health," says Jha who believes that a disrupted circadian rhythm also weakens the immune system.
“(A disrupted circadian rhythm) makes the body more prone to infections, disrupts appetite-regulating hormones, causes day-time sleepiness, reduced alertness, and poor productivity. In the long-term, it can significantly increase the risk of chronic illnesses and mortality," he elaborates. The increased pollution that Indian cities witness during winter complicates this problem further. Both air and noise pollution are known to hamper sleep, and therefore, sleep patterns.
“Recent studies have shown that higher average yearly levels of nitrogen dioxide and PM2.5 (particulate matter less than 2.5 microns) were associated with increased odds of moderate to severe sleep apnea independently of race, ethnicity, income, neighbourhood and socio-economic status," says Mittal. Jha suggests adopting strategies to mitigate pollution-related sleep disruption such as using air purifiers, keeping windows closed during high-pollution periods, and growing indoor plants. Avoid outdoor activities during peak pollution hours. “Install soundproof windows and use white noise machines or earplugs to fend off noise pollution. As for light pollution, use blackout curtains and dim lighting at night. Also, maintain a consistent sleep routine and limit screen time before bedtime," he says.
Shrenik Avlani is a writer and editor and the co-author of The Shivfit Way, a book on functional fitness.
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