• Q: How does sleep affect heart health?

Dr. Kimble Poon, Cardiologist, Kaiser Permanente Hawaii: Along with diet and exercise, sleep is vitally important to maintaining overall health, including your heart. Poor or inadequate sleep can have a negative impact on heart health in a number of ways, including increasing your risk for heart failure, heart attack, and stroke. At the same time, getting enough quality sleep can protect your heart.

One key way sleep affects the heart is by regulating blood pressure. Blood pressure naturally dips at night during healthy sleep, which reduces stress on the heart and gives it a needed chance to recover from working throughout the day. When you don’t get enough sleep, or your sleep is disrupted or low quality, your blood pressure stays elevated at night, adding to the stress on your heart, and increasing risk of related conditions. At the same time, poor sleep is also associated with higher daytime blood pressure.

Sleep deprivation is also linked to plaque buildup and atherosclerosis, the hardening of arteries that can cause coronary artery disease, as well as chronic inflammation, which can contribute to cardiovascular disease.

Sleep also helps regulate your metabolism, which is why people who don’t get enough sleep are also at higher risk of obesity and type 2 diabetes. Have you heard of the late-night munchies? Sleep deprivation turns on hormones that stimulate hunger. A 2022 study by the University of Chicago showed that increasing sleep by 1.2 hours per night led to decreased calorie consumption that would add up to 8-9 pounds of weight loss per year. Imagine that… feel better and lose weight!

To reap the protective benefits of sleep, it’s important not only that you get enough total hours of sleep each night, but that you have an adequate amount of deep or non-REM sleep. It’s during these deep-sleep cycles that your heart rate slows and your blood pressure drops, relieving pressure on your heart. If you wake frequently in the night, your sleep may be disrupted, preventing you from fully entering deep sleep.

To get better sleep for a healthier heart, make sure you’re getting at least seven hours each night. Sticking to a consistent bedtime and wake-up routine can train your body to be ready for sleep, and make falling asleep easier. Practice good sleep hygiene by keeping your bedroom cool, dark, and comfortable, and avoid stimulants like caffeine and alcohol before bed.

Finally, if you have trouble falling asleep, or you often wake up tired, talk to your doctor. If you have a sleep disorder like insomnia or sleep apnea, treatment can help, and will get you on the right track to improve your sleep, feel better, and protect your heart.

Maui Memorial has been recognized by the American Heart Association for excellence in heart and stroke care. Learn more about our services at mauihealth.org/heart.

• Q: Is Maui Memorial still providing the updated vaccine for COVID-19?

Chrissy Miller, RN, Employee Health and Wellness Manager, Maui Health: No. With COVID-19 vaccines now available at almost every pharmacy in Hawaii, the demand for this service decreased significantly last year. With that, Maui Health’s Community COVID-19 Vaccine Clinic at Maui Memorial Medical Center closed in December 2022. We encourage you to visit your doctor or local pharmacy to get your vaccinations, including the newest flu shot. Staying up to date helps keep you healthy and safe, especially during the winter months when sickness is more prevalent. For health tips and more health information, visit mauihealth.org/healthwise. Happy Holidays from our entire Maui Health team!

* Physicians, providers and administrative staff who practice at Maui Health hospitals and clinics answer questions from the public in Healthwise Maui, which appears on Thursdays. Maui Health operates Maui Memorial Medical Center, Maui Memorial Medical Center Outpatient Clinic, Kula Hospital & Clinic and Lana’i Community Hospital and accepts all patients. To submit a question, go to the website at mauihealth.org/healthwise.