Recent discoveries, including our own, underscore the critical importance of addressing multidimensional sleep health in clinical practice. This is particularly crucial for preventing cardiovascular disease. Advancing a broader agenda The American Heart Association (AHA) is calling for a more holistic approach to sleep. They argue that achieving better sleep quality means more than just drug development.
What’s more, experts such as Augusto Cesar Ferriera De Moraes support a wider approach to sleep health. He explains that “multidimensional sleep health should be prioritized in clinical settings.” This umbrella term includes sleep timing, regularity, continuity, and impacts on daytime functioning. Understanding these elements can help healthcare providers identify and manage risks associated with poor sleep, leading to better patient care.
Indeed, a recent review of 336 studies documented nearly 300 strong associations supporting this multidimensional model of sleep. Christopher Berg from the AHA noted, “The new AHA statement moves beyond the idea that ‘more sleep is better’ and introduces a more comprehensive view of what constitutes healthy sleep.” He further elaborated, stating, “While duration remains important, this multidimensional model includes factors like when we sleep (timing), how consistently we sleep (regularity), how well we stay asleep (continuity), and how rested we feel during the day (daytime functioning).”
De Moraes stresses actionable methods to improve sleep quality. For example, he advises getting up around the same time each day—including on weekends. Creating a comfortable sleep environment—cool, dark, and quiet—is important to getting great rest, too. Reducing screen time and exposure to bright light right before bedtime is an important step in getting the body ready for sleep.
Regular physical activity is important for overall good health, but avoiding vigorous activity close to bedtime is key to getting a good night’s sleep. Exercising just before bedtime might interfere with the body’s natural rhythms. The circadian rhythm, or the body’s internal clock that functions over a 24 hour period, plays a major role in regulating energy levels and sleep patterns. Interruptions in this natural cadence can result in sleep disturbances and increased daytime sleepiness.
Sleep disorders like sleep apnea further add to the inability to get quality sleep. As de Moraes points out, just adding up hours of sleep isn’t the best way to understand someone’s sleep health. He argues that waking up well-rested and staying awake during the day are the true measures of quality sleep.
Berg acknowledges the need for behavioral approaches along with environmental changes to improve sleep quality. “Improving sleep quality, timing, and regularity through behavioral strategies or environmental changes can enhance the effectiveness of existing therapies and may reduce the need for additional medications.”
We see considerable disparities in multidimensional sleep health, driven by socioeconomic factors like income and education level. Closing these gaps will go even further to reinforce any community health efforts aimed at advancing cardiovascular health equity.
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