How Does Sleep Affect Your Heart Health?

Yes, heart problems can definitely cause excess tiredness and sleepiness throughout the day, especially if your condition is interfering with your ability to sleep at night. Difficulty sleeping at night is a common experience of many with heart conditions and is often one of the first signs that something is wrong.

If you wake up feeling tired most days, you have frequent daytime sleepiness, or if you’re finding you have a distinct lack of energy for day-to-day activities, it could be indicative that you have a heart condition. If you’ve already been diagnosed and are still experiencing issues sleeping at night, you likely need to talk to your specialist about a healthy sleep plan as your condition may not being managed as effectively as it could be. 

– Heart disease negatively affects how the body functions, leading to symptoms such as:

– Chest pain.
– Daytime exhaustion.
– Difficulty breathing.
– Difficulty sleeping.
– Discomfort in the chest and/or upper body.
– Dizziness.
– Excessive sleeping.
– Fatigue.
– Fever.
– Heartburn or indigestion.
– Inability to handle exercise.
– Lightheadedness.
– Nausea or vomiting.
– Neck pain.
– Palpitations.
– Shortness of breath.
– Shortness of breath.
– Sweating.
– Swelling in your legs.

While the symptoms of heart failure can often be managed with specialized care, it can worsen if it is not adequately addressed and moderated. The following symptoms may be indicative of your condition worsening:

– Getting short of breath more frequently.
– Experiencing shortness of breath after low-intensity activities (walking, sitting up, sitting still, etc).
– Feeling regularly dizzy or lightheaded.
– Weight gain of 3+ pounds in one day.
– Weight gain of 5+ pounds over the course of a week.
– Abnormal swelling in the legs, feet, hands, and/or abdomen.
– A persistent cough.
– Persistent chest congestion.
– Increasingly low energy and fatigue that affects your ability to do day-to-day activities.
– A loss of appetite.
– Nausea
– Bloating in the stomach.
– Increased levels of confusion or restlessness.

The presence and worsening of these symptoms may indicate the beginnings of a serious problem, such as fluid building up around the heart or another cardiac related condition. If you notice these symptoms, or feel them becoming more severe, let your doctor or heart specialist know as soon as possible.

Outside of blood tests and chest x-rays, there are many different tests used to accurately diagnose and treat heart disease. This includes:

Electrocardiogram (EKG): Measures electrical signals in the heart.

Holter monitoring: Where a portable EKG device is worn all day to record the heart’s activity during daily activities.

Echocardiogram: Uses sound waves to create detailed images of the heart and how blood is moving through the different compartments.

Exercise tests or stress tests: Monitored testing while participating in physical activity, such as walking on the treadmill or pedaling on the exercise bike.

Cardiac catheterization: This test show blockages in the heart arteries via a long, flexible tube being carefully inserted into a blood vessel.

Cardiac CT scan: A machine rotates around the body, collecting images of your heart and chest.

Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan: This type of test utilizes magnetic fields and computer-generated radio waves to generate detailed images of the heart.

If you’ve recently been diagnosed with a heart condition and are wondering where to go from here, the professionals at Sterling Heart Care would be happy to assist you. Connect with us today for more information about our cardiac services or book in online if you’re ready to see a specialist. Please feel free to call us or schedule an appointment online. We are conveniently located at 4330 Maple Rd. 1st Floor Buffalo, NY 14226. We serve patients from Buffalo NY, Pine Hill NY, Sloan NY, Kenmore NY, Cleveland Hill NY, and Kaisertown NY.