Mood problems, depression, weight gain, hypertension, cardiovascular accidents… Sleeping poorly can have deleterious effects on health. Are you affected by sleep problems? It is possible to correct the shot easily.
This is what a vast study reveals, unveiled this Friday by the National Institute of Health and Medical Research, in collaboration with the Lausanne University Hospital Center.
Research director at Inserm, Jean-Philippe Empana deciphers 4 main lessons.
Take an interest in the dimensions of sleep
“Most existing studies worked on one or two components: sleep duration and sleep apnea. This shows that five components carry almost equal weight in the association with the risk of coronary and stroke accidents. “details Jean-Philippe Empana, research director at Inserm.
In this work, summarizing the experience of around 15,000 people, the following were examined: average sleep duration, insomnia, sleep apnea, daytime sleepiness and chronotype, i.e. say the fact of being more of a morning or evening person. A unique approach.
Signals to assess your sleep…
“Sleep is about quantity and quality”supports the specialist. “On average, the optimal length of a night is 7 to 8 hours. But that does not mean that sleeping 6 hours definitely exposes you to risks,” he tempers.
Want to doze off during the day, “in circumstances where one is not supposed to fall asleep”is also an indicator: “when you are driving at a red light, in the context of a conversation.”
Just like it’s also better to be a morning person. “It has to do with the autonomic nervous system of our body. It regulates our blood pressure, our heart rate. This system has two axes: a healthy, cardio-protective one; and a cardio-accelerator axis. People who are more morning people and have the favored cardio-protective axis. But, once again, it’s a great average”specifies Jean-Philippe Empana.
But acting on one of these components is already good!
This is the progress of this new study: acting on even one of these 5 components of sleep already brings significant benefits.
“Only 10% of people in our work combine all 5. The idea is therefore not to tell people affected by sleep disorders to improve everything (duration, chronotype, drowsiness, etc.), it is not realistic! Even if we improve one, we reduce our cardiovascular risk by 20%. People who improve their sleep, even if it is initially mediocre, also reduce the risk. Conclusion: it is not because you sleep badly until everything is ruined”explains Jean-Philippe Empana.
Sleep, an individual… and collective responsibility
“Even beyond cardiovascular risk, sleep has an impact on mental health and physical health. We need global awareness of its importance in our societies”argues the research director at Inserm.
For the scientist, there is an individual responsibility to take care of one’s sleep, by going to bed earlier for example; but it is also a public policy issue.
“Stress at work, noise, brightness play a direct role and affect health policies”points out Jean-Philippe Empana.
“Sleep apnea and insomnia affect 1 in 2 French people”Jean-Philippe Empana, research director at Inserm
The next national public health strategy should include a section on the sleep of the French. “This is real progress, especially since sleep apnea and insomnia affect 1 in 2 French people and have harmful consequences in terms of well-being, accidents, etc.”concludes the scientist.