Due to irregular work and rest schedules, people often experience a lack of sleep and belly fat accumulation, both closely related to the risk of cardiovascular disease. Liu Zhongping, a specialist instructor physician of the Taiwan Society of Internal Medicine, said on NTDTV’s “Health 1+1” program that by regulating sleep habits and controlling waist size, visceral fat can be effectively reduced, and the threat of cardiovascular disease (CVD) subdued.
Lack of Sleep–a CVD Enhancer
According to Liu, irregular work and rest patterns have created increasing problems among modern-day people. Insufficient sleep itself can lead to increased blood pressure, inflammation in the body, hormonal imbalance, and metabolic abnormalities, making us prone to obesity.Studies have pointed out that insufficient sleep poses a significant risk to cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. In a large cohort of postmenopausal women, self-reported sleep of 5 hours or less and 10 or more was associated with increased risk of coronary heart disease, of 25 percent and 43 percent, respectively, compared with those with 7 to 8 hours of sleep per night, after adjusting for age and races.
