Not getting enough sleep on a regular basis it is associated with a wide variety of health problems, including cardiovascular problems such as high blood pressure, heart disease, and strokes.
Even adults with chronically limited sleep show abnormal heart rate patterns according to a new study published in the American Journal of Physiology-Heart and Circulatory Physiology.
Small sample size
Researchers at Montana State University in Bozeman divided 35 men and women (a certainly small sample size) into two groups: those who sleep at least seven hours (normal sleep) and those who sleep less than seven hours (short sleep).
Participants were first assessed by two validated sleep quality surveys and then by a home monitor to assess sleep breathing disorders.
The team then observed the participants overnight in a laboratory-controlled sleep study, the gold standard for measuring physiological states during sleep. They were also followed for a minimum of seven days at home via a wrist sensor, which allowed the researchers to observe the sleep of the participants in more realistic conditions.