According to recent study, there is a strong link between worsened PTSD symptoms and poor sleep, after suffering a heart attack. Poor sleep factors include bad overall sleep, sleeping pill use, sleep disturbances and short sleep duration.
PTSD is often caused by a traumatic event, and it typically affects war veterans, or people who have survived a mentally traumatic experience. It is very common among heart attack survivors as well; 1 in 8 heart attack survivors will develop PTSD. Its symptoms include flashbacks, nightmares, emotional problems and anxiety. Researchers suggest that the strong association between acute coronary syndrome (ACS)-induced PTSD and sleep may be due to the fact that disturbed sleep is embedded in the PTSD phenotype and its diagnosis.
The study was conducted by researchers at Columbia University Medical Center, Yale University and the Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. It included 188 people who had had a heart attack within the past month. Their sleep quality and their PTSD symptoms were measured.
The results mirrored that of previous studies: up to 70% of people with PTSD experience sleep disturbances. Disturbed sleep due to nightmares increase the risk of PTSD while PTSA leads to increased fragmented sleep and nightmares.
More research suggests that mindfulness and training can play a role in decreasing PTSD symptoms. Meditation and stretching seems to decrease symptoms.
Remember, creating an ideal sleep environment can be extremely beneficial to your sleep health. Better sleep, assisted by less sleep disturbances, and longer periods of high quality restorative sleep help your health in many ways. Great job keeping your sleep health top of mind!
Comments are closed.