Restful sleep could be considered a luxury in the noisy and stressful city of Westwood, CA. As a cardiologist who focuses on women’s heart health, Dr. Maria Tehrani works on the effects city environment have on its inhabitants. The foot-patrolled din of the city, noise pollution, and stress all have their share of repercussions, especially on heart health. Dr. Tehrani does have a sense of hope. Understanding the issue and implementing a few sensible steps can provide the desired outcomes. In this blog, we will examine the effects of sleep on a woman’s heart and look at the positive impact good sleep habits can help soothe the cardiovascular challenges of city life.

The Importance of Sleep for Women’s Heart Health

Getting enough shut-eye is vital for a woman’s heart health. Sleep regulates heart functions such as maintaining blood pressure and reducing inflammation over periods of rest. Women who get a full 7-9 hours of sleep are less likely to develop heart-related issues. Moreover, sleep certainly decreases the risk of heart-related events necessitating hospitalization. However, sleep disruption can increase blood pressure, and arterial stiffness by heightening sympathetic nervous system activity and causing systemic inflammation.

Deprived of the adequate hours of sleep, women are more susceptible to poor mental health, chronic inflammation, and inflammation that puts additional strain on the heart. Insomnia or restricted sleep in midlife can increase the risk of heart-attacks and strokes in women by 75%. This highlights the need for maintaining better sleep hygiene to improve heart health.

How Urban Noise and Stress Affect Heart Problems

Living in cities like Westwood exposes women to chronic stressors like traffic noise and demanding schedules, which disrupt sleep and harm cardiovascular health. Nocturnal noise during sleep disrupts the sleep cycle, leading to heightened heart rates and blood pressure through sympathetic activation. This chronic exposure may result in the development of endothelial dysfunction and reduced heart rate variability. Both are significant indicators of hypertension and heart disease.

Urban stress adds to the problem by blunting the appetite-regulating hormones and insulin activity, therefore, increasing obesity, diabetes, and heart failure risks. Studies suggest that noise pollution is an environmental stressor. It’s been shown to activate oxidative stress in blood vessels and increase the risk of cardiovascular disease by 4% with each significant rise in exposure. Women living in urban settings with high noise levels are exposed to glucorticoid stress, and combined with these noise pollution factors, synergistic sleep and poor hormonal balance influences lead to poor sleep contributing silently to arrhythmias, hypertension, and myocardial infarction.

Major Sleep-Related Issues That Threaten Women’s Heart Health

Women’s heart health is under threat from both insufficient and interrupted sleep due to various urban and social factors such as:

– Arterial Stiffness and Hypertension: Sleep deprivation of less than 7 hours is linked to a 45% marked increase of coronary heart disease risk because it disrupts the naturally occurring nightly “dipping” of blood pressure.

– Inflammation and Oxidative Stress: Insufficient sleep even of a small degree increases atherosclerosis and heart failure due to increase of blood vessel oxidative stress.

– Heart Failure and Arrhythmias: Increased heart rate caused by lack of sleep due to noise has been shown to increase risk of atrial fibrillation and heart failure, particularly in women.

– Metabolic Changes: Increased risk of having an insulin resistance, heart issue and even a stroke is caused due to poor sleep that increases the risk of having altered glucose metabolism and cortisol levels.

Women who sleep inconsistently are much more likely to suffer from heart disease as compared to those who sleep in a regular pattern.

Identifying Sleep-Related Heart Problems

The symptoms of chronic sleep deprivation can significantly affect one’s heart health and the body’s functions usually go unnoticed. Look out for the following symptoms:

– Chronic fatigue or lack of focus mentally or physically.

– Breathlessness or heart palpitations, particularly in the evening.

– Consistently high blood pressure levels.

– Regular waking due to stress or noise.

– Mood changes, including anxiousness which places additional burden on the heart.

Continue reading to learn more on sleep apnea, insomnia, and various other sleep-related problems that can hinder heart health and enhance the chances of heart problems.

Sleep and Heart Health: Key Tips for Restful Sleep

Adhering to sleep guidelines can help mitigate the effects of chronic fatigue and noise, and sleep routines can significantly influence women’s heart health as well. Aim for a good nighttime slumber of 7-9 hours, which, if achieved, can amplify cardiovascular functions.

– Make Sure to Stick to a Consistent Bedtime Schedule: To align the body’s circadian rhythm, start waking and sleeping at the same time daily so that heart disease risks associated with irregular patterns can be reduced.

– A Quiet Sleep Environment: For those suffering from high blood pressure as a result of urban noise, using earplugs, soundproofing, and white noise machines can be effective.

– Reduce Screens and Stimulants: During the last hour before sleeping, abstaining from alcohol, caffeine, screens, and other stimulants is a must in order to improve sleep quality and lower body inflammation.

– Include Relaxation Practices: Use deep breathing and mindfulness techniques to relax and shift into a state that reduces heart rate and inflammation.

– Refine Your Bedroom: Make sure your bedroom is dark, cool, and tidy to stimulate restorative deep sleep, which is particularly enhanced when the bed is exclusively associated with sleep.

– Monitor and Adapt: Use apps to track sleep patterns and address urban stressors, including noise, by relocating to quieter areas or advocating for reduced community noise.

Improving sleep quality and enhancing overall cardiovascular resilience can be achieved with the above practices.

When to Seek Specialized Care

Consult a heart specialist if stress and noise disturbances continue to impact sleep. Dr. Maria Tehrani, a heart surgeon in Westwood, CA, evaluates women with symptoms and risk factors such as hypertension by recommending sleep studies and EKGs. Comprehensive urban factor plans can be tailored to silence the city, averting the onset of significant heart disease.

Improving Sleep to Enhance Women’s Heart Health

Making time to sleep in today’s fast-paced world is one great way to prevent heart disease in women. Combating sleep issues caused by urban noise and stress with proper sleep hygiene can mitigate risks to heart health. If you need help with sleep optimization and holistic women heart health in Westwood CA or nearby areas, Dr. Maria Tehrani and her team are optimally positioned to provide personalized support for urban living.