Chronic insomnia and cardiovascular diseases

Chronic insomnia, which affects approximately 10% of the world’s population, is much more than just difficulty sleeping. In addition to having an immediate impact on sleep quality and general well-being, it has also been associated with a number of long-term health problems, such as metabolic disorders (obesity, diabetes) and mental disorders (anxiety, depression). This connection between insomnia and various health conditions highlights the urgent need to better understand this problem and develop effective interventions.

According to a recent study, which included the participation of the Polytechnic University of Madrid (UPM) in Spain, this sleep disorder is closely related to an increase in the risk of suffering from cardiovascular diseases due to greater activity of the sympathetic nervous system during the dream This finding suggests the importance of rethinking insomnia treatment strategies including more comprehensive and preventive interventions.

The research team, which also included specialists from the Complutense University of Madrid (UCM), the La Princesa University Hospital in Madrid and the companies Brainguard and Eesy-Innovation, all of these entities in Spain, analyzed the sleep of patients with insomnia. chronic, comparing the results with those of a group of people without sleep problems. The results were revealing: they found a marked difference in the activity of the sympathetic nervous system between the two groups, being significantly higher in those people who suffered from insomnia. This excessive nervous activity manifests itself through higher skin temperature and increased sweating, factors that could explain the link between insomnia and the risk of developing cardiovascular problems.

This study represents an important step in understanding chronic insomnia and its health implications. The results underscore the importance of addressing insomnia not only as a sleep disorder, but also as a risk factor for cardiovascular problems. “This knowledge can have a significant impact on public health, highlighting the need for greater awareness and medical attention towards the treatment of insomnia,” says Rybel Ramos, co-author of the study and doctor at Hospital de La Princesa.

The study used a wearable device to measure physiological signals of sweating, temperature, accelerometry, and photoplethysmography during sleep. The study involved 51 patients who slept overnight in the Sleep Unit of the La Princesa Hospital.

The results suggest that patients with insomnia have greater sympathetic activity during sleep, especially during REM sleep, and less pronounced during the deepest phase of sleep. These differences could explain the increased risk of cardiovascular disorders in patients with insomnia. Furthermore, these results show how wearable devices are emerging as a useful tool in the outpatient setting to detect patients with insomnia and/or increased risk of cardiovascular disorders, as argued by Marta Verona, co-author of the work and researcher at the UPM and Eesy- Innovation.

Night comes, but not sleep… This situation is more common than it might seem. Chronic insomnia affects approximately 1 in 10 people worldwide. (Image: Amazings/NCYT)

The findings of this study underscore the importance of rethinking insomnia treatment strategies. Beyond improving sleep quality, it is essential to recognize insomnia as a risk factor for chronic diseases, such as cardiovascular diseases. This new perspective opens doors to more comprehensive and preventive interventions, improving both the quality of life of patients in the short term and their general health in the long term.

The study is titled “Monitoring differences in the function of the autonomic nervous system in patients with chronic insomnia using a wearable device.” And it has been published in the academic journal Sleep Medicine. (Source: UPM)