NEW STUDY REVEALS THE MOST DANGEROUS TIME OF DAY
Getting out of bed after a good night’s sleep may be one of the most dangerous things you do all day. That’s because the first two hours or so after waking you are up to three times more likely to suffer a heart attack or a stroke. On the other hand, late evening is the safest cardiovascular time of the day, according to researchers at the Scripps Clinic and Research Foundation in La Jolla, California. The researchers say their study also shows that 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. is, on average, the time of day people are most vulnerable to many other leading causes of death including cancer, emphysema, asthma, bronchitis, and ischemic heart disease.
Recent research reveals that while you sleep many changes are taking place inside your body— your blood pressure falls, your temperature drops more than one degree from its normal afternoon high and some blood collects in your body’s extremities. When you wake, your body makes the transition by producing a surge of “stimulation” chemicals called catecholamines. This causes the heart rate to increase and blood vessels to constrict, resulting in higher blood pressure and reduced blood flow to heart muscle. Such a “condition” could lead to angina, or ischemia, as well as myocardial infarction.
While this less-than-cheerful bit of news may make you want to stay in bed and avoid the potential danger as long as you can, you do have other more realistic options. For example, you can set your alarm clock 10 to 15 minutes earlier in order to give yourself time to stretch your arms and legs slowly while you are still in bed. This helps get the pooled blood in your extremities circulating. You should also avoid taking a very hot or a very cold shower. Either extreme is likely to result in a thermal shock which could cause your blood pressure to rise. It is also important that you eat a good breakfast. According to medical experts, skipping breakfast may lead to an increase in platelet activity and possibly contribute to heart attacks and stroke during the first few hours of the morning.
In some cases, aspirin and some prescription drugs can help reduce the risk of morning heart attacks. Results from one major study revealed that men who took an aspirin every other day reduced their overall occurrence of heart attack by almost 45 percent and morning risk by almost 60 percent. However, you should not begin taking aspirin to “protect” yourself from heart attacks without first consulting your doctor.
Doctors say that by understanding how our bodies work, even when we are asleep we can be better prepared to take the necessary steps to reduce many health risks and promote our survival.
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Tags: General health