Insomniacs are more likely to suffer from coronary artery disease, heart failure and stroke

The researchers fear that insomniacs are at greater risk for coronary heart disease, heart failure and stroke.

Scientists analyzed data from 1.3 million people and found that people with genetic characteristics for insomnia had a higher risk of suffering from heart disease.

The findings of Karolinska Institutet experts in Sweden are based on a growing body of evidence linking sleep disorders to fatal cardiac events.

However, it is currently unclear whether lack of sleep is the direct cause of life-threatening problems or whether they are simply genetically linked.

Insomnia is thought to affect up to three in ten people. Coronary artery disease is one of the leading causes of death in the world.

Lead researcher Dr. Susanna Larsson said, "It is important to identify and treat the underlying cause of insomnia.

"Sleep is a behavior that can be changed by new habits and stress management."

The study, published in the journal Circulation of the American Heart Association, used a technique called "Mendelian randomization."

Mendelian randomization is a research method that uses genetic variants known to be linked to a potential risk factor, such as insomnia, to uncover relationships with a disease.

The 1.3 million participants with and without heart disease and stroke were selected from four major public studies conducted in Europe, including the British Biobank.

The researchers analyzed 248 genetic markers – called SNPs – known for their role in insomnia against the risks of coronary artery disease, heart failure, ischemic stroke and atrial fibrillation.

People at genetic risk of insomnia had an increased risk of heart attacks by 13%, heart failure by 16% and stroke by 7%.

The findings remained true, even with adjustments for smoking and depression, which were found to have genetic links with insomnia.

Dr. Larsson suggested that insomnia causes an increased sympathetic nervous system – the source of stimulation of the body's fight or flight response.

This response acts primarily on the cardiovascular system, increasing heart rate, pressure and muscle contractions, increasing the risk of stroke and, over time, heart failure.

She also noted that other research has linked lack of sleep to high BMI and type 2 diabetes.

This would add to the cardiometabolic risk, which describes the risks of damaging a person's heart and blood vessels when one or more risk factors – including obesity, diabetes, and diabetes. 39, high blood pressure – are present.

A combination of risk factors greatly increases the risk of heart disease and stroke.

The authors noted a limitation to this study is that the results represent a genetic variant link to insomnia rather than insomnia itself.

According to Dr. Larsson, it was not possible to determine whether people with cardiovascular disease actually suffered from insomnia, but only if they possessed genetic traits.

The recommended sleeping hours for people vary by age group.

An adult between the ages of 18 and 60 should sleep at least seven hours a night, according to the website of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Figures from the Royal Society of Public Health estimate that a person sleeps an average of 6.8 hours a night, but the NHS recommends people for eight hours.

According to the NHS, lack of sleep reduces your life expectancy and has already been associated with an increased risk of cancer.

According to CDC data, more than 40 million people suffer from long-term sleep disorders in the United States. Although it is estimated that there are 1.5 million patients in the UK.