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Cardiovascular Effects

• Sleep deprivation, like smoking is now noted as one of the main causes of developing heart disease. The possible reasoning for this, is that a decrease in sleep results in increased blood pressure, and sympathetic overactivity; known precursors for developing coronary heart disease. Sleep deprivation may be caused by sleep apnea which also can be a factor in developing heart disease (Quan 2009).

Increased Blood Pressure and Sympathetic Overactivity Studies performed on healthy individuals, showed a significantly larger systolic blood pressure following one night of sleep deprivation, compared with non-sleep deprived individuals. One experiment examined the theory of this systolic increase being linked with stress induced reaction. They created a control, where subjects where not exposed to any form of stressful situation following sleep deprivation (Franzen et al., 2011). The same increase in systolic pressure was observed. Therefore highlighting a clear link between sleep deprivation and increased blood pressure.

• Without adequate rest periods sympathetic overactivity results. Normally, heart rate is controlled by a balance between the parasympathetic nervous system and the sympathetic nervous system. The parasympathetic innervation via the vagus nerve causes a decrease in heart rate by having a direct depressor effect on the sympathetic nervous system. Sympathetic nervous system elevates the heart rate by causing an muscarinic Acetylcholine activated elevation in cAMP, which causes elevation in heart rate Sympathetic overactivity, leads to inadequate depression via the parasympathetic vagus nerve and the heart rate remains increased as a result. Figure 1.1 highlights the parasympathetic suppressant effect on the heart rate. Long term sympathetic over-excitability results in hypertension, which leads to cardiovascular disease (Ayas et al., 2003).