Why Sleep Is So Important After a Heart Attack

Every 40 seconds, someone in the United States suffers a heart attack. Many don’t realize that sleep plays a vital role in recovery.Scientists have discovered that the heart signals the brain to sleep more after a heart attack.This response is essential for recovery, as restful sleep is “an important factor for heart healing,” according to a new study published in Nature on Wednesday.Sleep helps the body heal by limiting further damage to the heart, lead investigator Cameron McAlpine, assistant professor of cardiology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, told The Epoch Times.“This need for rest is especially critical while you’re in the hospital, whether in the cardiac ward or the ICU,” McAlpine said. “Once you return home, it’s equally important to prioritize sleep in the weeks and months following your heart attack. With sufficient sleep, the heart can regain function and prevent long-term issues.”The Heart’s Hidden SignalsIn research involving mice and humans, the Mount Sinai team observed the critical role of sleep in recovery after heart attacks.In the study, mice allowed to sleep showed a threefold increase in sleep time, leading to better heart function characterized by more regular heart rhythms and lower levels of harmful proteins.In contrast, mice with disrupted sleep experienced more serious heart problems, including dangerous heart rhythms and higher mortality rates.Related Stories10/28/202410/13/2024Human studies mirrored these findings. Among 78 patients, those who reported good sleep quality in the four weeks after their heart attacks experienced significant improvements in heart function over two years; their hearts could pump blood better, as shown with echocardiography within six months of their leaving the hospital.They also had fewer serious heart-related problems, such as additional heart attacks or hospital visits.Conversely, people who slept poorly faced a higher risk for additional heart problems and did not show the same improvements, according to the study.A key element of this discovery is how the heart communicates with the brain through immune cells called monocytes. After a heart attack, these cells move to the brain and produce a molecule called tumor necrosis factor (TNF). This protein activates neurons in the thalamus, a brain region crucial for regulating sleep, consciousness, and memory.This process promotes “restorative sleep to aid heart healing after injury” by reducing stress on the heart and limiting inflammation, which is vital for recovery, according to the researchers.“What we identified was that the increase in sleep really lowers the amount of sympathetic stress that occurs in the heart, and this enables this healing process of reduced inflammation and eventually helps the heart recover its function” to how it was before the heart attack, McAlpine said.Sympathetic stress increases heart rate and blood pressure, putting additional strain on the heart and increasing inflammation.Heart inflammation is particularly relevant to healing after a heart attack because it can harm the heart’s lining, valves, muscle, and surrounding tissue. Excessive inflammation can lead to irregular heartbeats, heart failure, and coronary heart disease. By managing inflammation through sleep, the heart can heal more completely, improving overall function and reducing the risk of long-term issues.While sleeping, a person’s heart rate and blood pressure drop, and their breathing becomes stable and regular.“It’s essential to recognize that increased sleep is a healthy response during recovery,” McAlpine said. “Health care providers should support their patients in getting sufficient rest after a heart attack.”In 2022, the American Heart Association (AHA) added sleep time to its “Life’s Essential 8” checklist, alongside diet, exercise, and smoking cessation—key lifestyle measures for maintaining a healthy heart. Getting seven to nine hours of sleep each night helps people manage their weight, blood pressure, and cholesterol more effectively, all of which protect heart health, according to the AHA.Prescribing Sleep in Recovery ProgramsEvery year, about 805,000 Americans experience a heart attack, with 605,000 experiencing their first, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This highlights the need for effective recovery practices.“Many cardiac management programs do not prioritize sleep as they should,” McAlpine said.“We hope our research raises awareness among clinicians, practitioners, and patients about the importance of sleep in recovery. Alongside diet, exercise, and other healthy lifestyle changes, ensuring adequate sleep should be a key focus in your recovery plan.”Tips for Better SleepAccording to the AHA’s sleep fact sheet, some tips for improving your sleep include the following:Move it: Charge your device away from your bed to reduce distractions and feelings of being overwhelmed.Dim it: Use a red filter or dim your screen at night to mini

Nov 1, 2024 - 11:07 Updated: Oct 31, 2024 - 20:20

Why Sleep Is So Important After a Heart Attack

Every 40 seconds, someone in the United States suffers a heart attack. Many don’t realize that sleep plays a vital role in recovery.

Scientists have discovered that the heart signals the brain to sleep more after a heart attack.

This response is essential for recovery, as restful sleep is “an important factor for heart healing,” according to a new study published in Nature on Wednesday.

Sleep helps the body heal by limiting further damage to the heart, lead investigator Cameron McAlpine, assistant professor of cardiology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, told The Epoch Times.

“This need for rest is especially critical while you’re in the hospital, whether in the cardiac ward or the ICU,” McAlpine said. “Once you return home, it’s equally important to prioritize sleep in the weeks and months following your heart attack. With sufficient sleep, the heart can regain function and prevent long-term issues.”

The Heart’s Hidden Signals

In research involving mice and humans, the Mount Sinai team observed the critical role of sleep in recovery after heart attacks.

In the study, mice allowed to sleep showed a threefold increase in sleep time, leading to better heart function characterized by more regular heart rhythms and lower levels of harmful proteins.

In contrast, mice with disrupted sleep experienced more serious heart problems, including dangerous heart rhythms and higher mortality rates.

Human studies mirrored these findings. Among 78 patients, those who reported good sleep quality in the four weeks after their heart attacks experienced significant improvements in heart function over two years; their hearts could pump blood better, as shown with echocardiography within six months of their leaving the hospital.

They also had fewer serious heart-related problems, such as additional heart attacks or hospital visits.

Conversely, people who slept poorly faced a higher risk for additional heart problems and did not show the same improvements, according to the study.

A key element of this discovery is how the heart communicates with the brain through immune cells called monocytes. After a heart attack, these cells move to the brain and produce a molecule called tumor necrosis factor (TNF). This protein activates neurons in the thalamus, a brain region crucial for regulating sleep, consciousness, and memory.

This process promotes “restorative sleep to aid heart healing after injury” by reducing stress on the heart and limiting inflammation, which is vital for recovery, according to the researchers.

“What we identified was that the increase in sleep really lowers the amount of sympathetic stress that occurs in the heart, and this enables this healing process of reduced inflammation and eventually helps the heart recover its function” to how it was before the heart attack, McAlpine said.

Sympathetic stress increases heart rate and blood pressure, putting additional strain on the heart and increasing inflammation.

Heart inflammation is particularly relevant to healing after a heart attack because it can harm the heart’s lining, valves, muscle, and surrounding tissue. Excessive inflammation can lead to irregular heartbeats, heart failure, and coronary heart disease. By managing inflammation through sleep, the heart can heal more completely, improving overall function and reducing the risk of long-term issues.

While sleeping, a person’s heart rate and blood pressure drop, and their breathing becomes stable and regular.

“It’s essential to recognize that increased sleep is a healthy response during recovery,” McAlpine said. “Health care providers should support their patients in getting sufficient rest after a heart attack.”

In 2022, the American Heart Association (AHA) added sleep time to its “Life’s Essential 8” checklist, alongside diet, exercise, and smoking cessation—key lifestyle measures for maintaining a healthy heart. Getting seven to nine hours of sleep each night helps people manage their weight, blood pressure, and cholesterol more effectively, all of which protect heart health, according to the AHA.

Prescribing Sleep in Recovery Programs

Every year, about 805,000 Americans experience a heart attack, with 605,000 experiencing their first, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This highlights the need for effective recovery practices.

“Many cardiac management programs do not prioritize sleep as they should,” McAlpine said.

“We hope our research raises awareness among clinicians, practitioners, and patients about the importance of sleep in recovery. Alongside diet, exercise, and other healthy lifestyle changes, ensuring adequate sleep should be a key focus in your recovery plan.”

Tips for Better Sleep

According to the AHA’s sleep fact sheet, some tips for improving your sleep include the following:

Move it: Charge your device away from your bed to reduce distractions and feelings of being overwhelmed.
Dim it: Use a red filter or dim your screen at night to minimize blue light exposure, which can disrupt sleep.
Set it: Use a bedtime alarm to signal when it’s time to wind down for the night.
Lock it: Install an app blocker to avoid getting sidetracked by emails, social media, or games late at night.
Block it: Activate “do not disturb” mode to silence notifications that can interrupt your sleep. Even better, put your phone on airplane mode overnight.

No. 1 Health Threat to Americans

Heart disease remains the leading cause of death for both men and women in the United States, claiming over 700,000 lives each year, according to the CDC. That accounts for one in every five deaths.

The average age at which people experience their first heart attack is 65.5 years for men and 72 years for women, with the risk increasing with age. Although heart attacks are less common among younger people, in 2019, the American College of Cardiology reported a 2 percent increase in heart attacks each year among those under 40 over the past decade.

Coronary artery disease, the most common type of heart disease in the United States, can lead to heart attacks. This condition occurs when plaque builds up in the arteries that supply blood to the heart and body, narrowing them and potentially blocking blood flow. A heart attack happens when the heart muscle does not receive enough blood, leading to damage and impaired function.