Study finds that six hours of sleep may not be enough

Thursday 31st August 2023 03:27 EDT
 

Researchers at the Penn State University, US, followed 15 healthy men for 11 days, who had five nights of sleep deprivation. They discovered that even a brief period of sleep deprivation, which was then made up for with two nights of adequate and restful sleep, was unable to lower the increased blood pressure and heart rate brought on by staying up late.

“Though the study is of a limited number of healthy men and of a shorter duration, its results show that even a short duration of sleep deprivation for five days is sufficient to adversely affect cardiovascular health,” says Prof (Dr) Rajesh Vijayvergiya, Department of Cardiology, Advanced Cardiac Center, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) Chandigarh.

So why can’t we undo the damage caused by daily sleep deficit?

Explains Dr Virendar Sarwal, Director, Department of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery, IVY Hospital, Mohali, “The logic is simple. This eight-hour sleep at night is required to heal the body from the inflammation it experienced during the day. It helps both heart and brain health and aids in recovering the wear and tear the body suffers during the 16 hours in a day. Lack of sleep leads to burnout and causes heart issues as we are witnessing these days.” Resting over the weekend, he continues, is ineffective since daily healing has not taken place, and the heart keeps suffering until it eventually gives out.


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