I don’t mean to alarm you, but this information could save your life.
Peripheral arterial disease, or PAD, is a serious condition that doesn’t get the attention it deserves.
In fact, you might not even know what PAD is.
But if you’re over 70, there’s a significant chance that you could be living with it.
About 10 percent of people have PAD, and that number increases to 15 percent for those over 70.
PAD occurs when the blood vessels in your legs become clogged, restricting blood flow to the area.
This condition can cause pain, aching, or a feeling of heaviness in your legs, especially when walking.
But the real danger isn’t the pain—it’s the risk of life-threatening complications.
PAD can cause blood clots to form and travel to your heart or brain.
If they make it to your heart, they could cause a heart attack.
If they reach your brain, they could cause a stroke.
What’s even scarier is that half of the people who have PAD don’t even know it.
It’s like walking around with a time bomb inside you and having no idea when it will go off.
Luckily, researchers have uncovered an important risk factor for PAD.
It turns out that poor sleep is one of the biggest contributors to developing this dangerous condition.
A recent study published in the European Heart Journal looked at the medical records of 650,000 people.
The findings were shocking.
People who slept less than five hours a night had a 74 percent increased risk of developing PAD.
But sleeping too much is also a problem.
Those who slept more than eight hours had a 24 percent increased risk.
This reinforces what we’ve learned from other studies on heart disease and dementia—healthy sleep is critical for overall health.
But here’s the catch: stressing over the risk of PAD isn’t going to help you sleep better.
Instead, use that concern as motivation to take action and improve your sleep habits.
The key is to get around seven hours of sleep each night.
Here are some simple tips to help you get started tonight:
Try to go to bed at the same time every night.
Make your room as dark as possible.
Remove any electronics with lights, and use blackout curtains if necessary.
Avoid screen time at least an hour before bed.
The light from screens can interfere with melatonin production, which disrupts your sleep.
Stay active during the day.
Exercise helps your body prepare for restful sleep at night.
Consider swapping some of your coffee for green tea.
Green tea contains theanine, an amino acid that can help you relax and sleep better.
Melatonin is a natural hormone that helps regulate your sleep-wake cycle.
To increase melatonin production, expose your face to natural sunlight in the morning, dim the lights in the evening, and avoid screens before bed.
Melatonin supplements are also available, but it’s best to try to boost it naturally first.
Certain herbs like lemon balm, passionflower, hops, and chamomile can also help you unwind and prepare for sleep.
By following these tips, you’ll improve your sleep and dramatically lower your risk for PAD, heart attacks, and strokes.
Better sleep is just one part of the equation, but it’s a powerful one.
If you’re looking for more information about sleep and your heart health, check out this article from the American Heart Association and this research on PubMed.