A Study Warns That Doing This at Night May Cause Heart Failure

 Heart failure is on the rise as more people than ever are living longer. Over six million American adults, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), have heart failure. However, unlike what you might think, having heart failure does not necessarily indicate that your heart has stopped beating. Instead, heart failure is a dangerous disorder when your heart is unable to pump enough blood to maintain optimal body function.

 

Unfortunately, it can be challenging to recognise heart failure's warning indications, and its early signs frequently go unreported. Shortness of breath while performing daily tasks, breathing difficulties when lying down, weight gain, edoema, and exhaustion are all indications of heart failure. Additionally, research indicates that one particular activity you could be doing in at night may raise your risk of developing heart failure. Discover what it is and how it can be endangering your heart by reading on.

Despite receiving a full night's sleep, you might have a common ailment that can result in heart failure if you wake up feeling fatigued or find it difficult to keep your eyes wide open during the day. This sleep difficulty is connected to numerous heart-related conditions, including hypertension, coronary artery disease, cardiac arrhythmias, sudden cardiac death, and heart failure, according to a 2018 study published in the Texas Heart Institute Journal.

Systolic and diastolic heart failure are the two variations. Systolic heart failure happens when the left ventricle of your heart doesn't fully contract, which prevents your heart from pumping enough blood throughout your body. Less blood is pushed through your body as a result of the left ventricle's improper blood filling, which results in diastolic heart failure.

When you have sleep apnea, your breathing regularly pauses and resumes during the course of the night. Your body won't get enough oxygen as a result, which increases your risk of health problems. Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and central sleep apnea are the two separate kinds of sleep apnea associated with heart failure (CSA).

"In OSA, the airway partially or completely closes," explains Harneet Kaur Walia, MD, director of sleep medicine at Baptist Health's Miami Cardiac & Vascular Institute. "In CSA, there's no obstruction in the airway. In this kind of sleep apnea, respiratory drive is absent from the brain."

The 2018 study found that compared to the general population, patients with heart failure have a much greater prevalence of OSA. "OSA is strongly associated with high blood pressure, abnormal heart rhythm, heart attack, stroke, and heart failure," warns Kaur Walia. "In patients with heart failure, excessive fluid in the upper airway is an additional factor that may contribute to the airway narrowing. Changes in pressure of the chest related to sleep apnea cause stress on the heart, and this effect is greater in those with heart failure."

Snoring, morning headaches, mood issues, insomnia, and awakenings during the night due to choking or gasping for air are all signs of sleep apnea to look out for. Elevated blood pressure and heightened sympathetic nervous system activity, including accelerated heart rate, dilated pupils, and constricted blood vessels, are other warning signs to watch for that might not be as obvious to spot.

"Individuals who are overweight, have a large neck circumference, smoke, or have chronic lung diseases such as asthma are at increased risk of OSA," states Jennifer Mieres, MD, professor of cardiology at Zucker School of Medicine. "In addition, there is a higher prevalence of sleep apnea in men; they are two to three times more likely to have sleep apnea than women. The risk increases for women who are obese, and for those who are post-menopausal. Polycystic ovary syndrome, hormonal disorders, and prior stroke can also increase the risk of sleep apnea."

Consult a physician who can conduct a test to identify whether you have OSA if you think you may have sleep apnea. Both nocturnal polysomnography and at-home sleep testing are available. Doctors observe your heart, lungs, and brain activity, breathing patterns, physical movements, and blood oxygen levels while you sleep during a nocturnal polysomnography test. Your doctor will give you a simple test that you may perform at home to check your heart rate, breathing patterns, and blood oxygen levels while you sleep.

There are both therapeutic and surgical options for treating sleep apnea, according to the Mayo Clinic. Usually, therapeutic therapy for OSA entails using apparatus that maintains the opening of the airways. Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP), a machine that provides air pressure via mask to maintain your airways open while you sleep, is the most widely used treatment. Supplemental oxygen, adaptive servo-ventilation (ASV) air flow devices, and oral appliances that