It is known that both lack of exercise and poor sleep are risk factors for developing heart problems and also other diseases. More recently, we have learned that when these two risk factors are present at the same time, t heir combined effect is even greater , and it becomes more likely that an adverse event may happen! A paper published in 2021 reports the impact of physical inactivity and lack of sleep on the risk of death in general and the risk of death from cardiovascular disease in particular. The authors determined the level of physical activity and sleep quality in a population of: 380 055 people; 55% women; Average age 56 years. Physical activity was quantified by its intensity and duration: Physical activity of high intensity was defined as practicing exercise for at least 150 minutes per week. A healthy sleep pattern was considered to be: Waking up early, that is, being an early riser; Sleep 7-8 hours a day; Not having difficulty falling asleep; Not snoring; Not being sleepy during the day whether working, driving, reading, watching TV, etc. The population that was studied was followed on average for 11 years , and the results obtained were as follows: People who regularly do high-intensity physical activity and who had a healthy sleep pattern had the lowest risk of fatal events; When compared to the above, people who were not physically active and had an inadequate sleep pattern had a 67% higher risk of dying from cardiovascular disease and a 57% higher risk of dying from any disease , including cancer; People who practiced some physical activity and who had a reasonable sleep pattern had an intermediate risk of fatal events . Regular physical exercise, at least moderate, attenuated the harmful effects of less good sleep! Sleeping well, in quantity and quality, and being physically active is the best you can do. Your health thanks you. Source Huang BH, Duncan MJ, Cistulli PA, Nassar N, Hamer M, Stamatakis E. S leep and physical activity in relation to all-cause, cardiovascular disease and cancer mortality risk . Br J Sports Med. 2021;29:bjsports-2021-104046. Author: José Ferreira Santos Meet the cardiology clinical team from Hospital da Luz network. The content published in the Health Guide is intended for the general public and is provided for informational and educational purposes only. It does not replace individual medical assessment, diagnosis, or personalized clinical advice from a qualified healthcare professional. The content is produced or reviewed by physicians and other healthcare professionals at Hospital da Luz and is based on the knowledge available at the time of publication or the most recent update, as indicated at the beginning of each item.
