WASHINGTON – Insomniacs take note: Trouble sleeping may be related to heart failure.
Prevention magazine reports that a study finds those with problems falling or staying asleep or those who wake up feeling tired have higher rates of heart failure.
When compared to those who had no trouble sleeping, those who “occasionally” or “often” struggled with one of the above symptoms had a higher heart failure rate by 5 and 14 percent respectively, Prevention says.
Study participants who frequently had all three symptoms saw their rates of heart failure more than triple.
Insomnia can help release a flood of hormones into the bloodstream that appear to boost blood pressure. A study co-author says the hormones also cause the release of compounds that have been tied to an increased heart disease risk.
To get better sleep, tips include not watching television 30 minutes before bed, keeping the bedroom dark and quiet and avoiding caffeine six to eight hours before hitting the sack.
WTOP’s Veronica Robinson contributed to this report. Follow VRobWTOP and @WTOP on Twitter.
