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LACK OF SLEEP CAN CAUSE HEART DISEASE

How you sleep is a major determinant of how well your heart functions. A new study carried out on cardiac patients at the Sir Gangaram Hospital here revealed that around 96 percent of patients who have cardiovascular problems have sleep apnea. Sleep apnea, which is clinically called Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome (OSAS), is a type of disorder characterized by pausesin breathing or instances of shallow or infrequent breathing during sleep.

“Lack of sleep is directly related to cardiac diseases,” Sanjay Manchanda, head of Sir Gangaram Hospital’s Department of Sleep Medicine, said. “Quality of sleep is very important. A good night’s sleep prevents heart attacks, diabetes as well as road accidents.”The study, carried out by the hospital in collaboration with PhilipsHealthcare, also proves the correlation between lack of sleep and heart ailments. It said that 58 percent of patients of cardiovascular disorders had severe sleep apnea and an estimated 85 percent of them were not aware that sleep apnea and cardiovascular diseases were correlated.Removing some of the myths associated with sleep apnea, the study further said that there is no correlation between weight and extent of sleep apnea.

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