Why are insomniacs more prone to having heart attacks?

By Pol Allingham via SWNS

Insomniacs have more heart attacks, according to a new study warning against the dangers of sleepless nights.

Authors added insomnia was now a “life choice” rather than an illness, and the general public should prioritize getting seven or eight hours a night.

People clocking five hours or less a night carried the highest risk of heart attack.

Those suffering the sleep disorder are 69 percent more likely to have a heart attack versus those who sleep easily, and women were particularly affected by the link.

If they have diabetes too, the heart attack risk soared to twice the chance.

Insomnia includes trouble falling asleep, staying asleep, or getting good quality sleep and now affects a third of the UK population at some point in their lives.

The different types of insomnia had an impact too - trouble falling asleep and staying asleep carried a 13 percent higher risk of heart attack.

Meanwhile, patients who don’t feel rested after a kip did not have a higher risk of heart attacks.

Alexandria University, Egypt, collected data from over one million people.

The high chance of having a heart attack remained no matter the age, sex or how quickly the doctors followed-up.

Likewise, it remained even in people with common comorbidities such as diabetes, high blood pressure and cholesterol.

Study author medical student Yomna Dean said: “Insomnia is the most common sleep disorder, but in many ways it’s no longer just an illness, it’s more of a life choice.

“We just don’t prioritize sleep as much as we should.

“Our study showed that people with insomnia are more likely to have a heart attack regardless of age, and heart attacks occurred more often in women with insomnia.

“Based on our pooled data, insomnia should be considered a risk factor for developing a heart attack, and we need to do a better job of educating people about how dangerous [lack of good sleep] can be.

“Practice good sleep hygiene; the room should be dark, quiet and on the cooler side, and put away devices.

“Do something that is calming to wind down, and if you have tried all these things and still can’t sleep or are sleeping less than five hours, talk with your doctor.”

In the largest study of its kind, researchers reviewed the literature of 1,226 studies including data from 1,184,256 adults.

They discovered those who slept under five hours a night were 1.38 times more likely to experience a heart attack, versus those who nabbed six hours a night.

This went up to 1.56 times compared with those getting the recommended eight hours.

But there may be a prime amount of sleep for heart health - patients who slept six hours had a lower heart attack risk than those getting nine.

The average age was 52 and 12 percent or 153,881, had insomnia.

Heart attacks occurred in 2,406 of those who had insomnia and 12,398 of the easy sleepers.

The illness, or “life choice,” was defined as difficulty falling asleep, difficulty staying asleep, or waking early and not being able to get back to sleep.

Obstructive sleep apnea patients were not included.

No prior history of heart attack was recorded in 96 percent of patients.

Dean said: “Not surprisingly, people with insomnia who also had high blood pressure, cholesterol or diabetes had an even higher risk of having a heart attack than those who didn’t.

“People with diabetes who also have insomnia had a twofold likelihood of having a heart attack.”

The study will be presented at American College of Cardiology’s Annual Scientific Session.