Scratch another old myth: A recent study released by the
University of Chicago proves it's the lack of sleep that's actually the
cousin of death. The findings, published in the Journal of the American
Medical Association, confirm what nagging mothers and teachers have
told us for years--not getting enough shut eye at night can make you
sick.
That, however, is an
understatement. According to the study, which followed the sleep
patterns of men and women between the ages of 35 and 47, almost 30
percent of the participants who caught less than five hours of restful
sleep every night developed plaque in their heart vessels. On the other
hand, only 11 percent of patients who got the recommended five to seven
hours and 6 percent who racked up more than seven hours of Zs showed
any signs of calcium buildup in their arteries, which can create the
plaques that cause heart attacks and strokes. The results confirmed a
suspected connection held by the medical community for ages.
"Disorder of sleep is
now considered a risk factor over and above traditional risk factors,"
says Richard Staudacher, M.D., a cardiologist at ProHealth Care Medical
Associates in New Berlin, Wisconsin. "The surprising part about the
study was that [plaque accumulation] happened in a re
latively short period of time."
The upside to drawing
the parallel between a good night's rest and good heart health (besides
an excuse to snag more sleep)? "Plaque volume is reversible with proper
diet," Dr. Staudacher advises. "In general, if somebody has coronary
disease with plaquing, there can be a reversal with modification of
risk factors like quitting smoking, losing weight and controlling
diabetes and cholesterol."
--Janelle Harris
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