Not enough sleep? Tired? - an article

If you're a man who works long hours and never gets enough sleep, you may be begging for a heart attack. In a new study from Japan, men who often worked more than 60 hours a week and got five hours or less of sleep a night had twice the risk of suffering a heart attack.

The study builds on and confirms previous research. Previous studies in the United States and Europe, as well as in Japan, have suggested that long work hours and insufficient sleep are related to heart attack. 

 Working too hard Study subjects provided information about their usual workweek, their sleep habits and their days off during the past month and the past year. They also discussed any medical conditions that might boost their heart attack risk, such as high blood pressure and high blood cholesterol. Even when the researchers controlled for the known as risk factor they found that lack of sleep and long hours were associated with heart attack.

 Those who worked 60-plus hours a week-not uncommon in Japan-had double the heart attack risk of those who worked 40 hours or less. Also, those who suffered heart attacks often slept for five or fewer hours a night. The joint effect of work hours and lack of sleep is the unique point of the study. A U.S. sleep expert calls the study findings interesting, but not surprising. The conclusions reflect what clinically think to be true.

Adequate sleep is crucial for good health; most adults need eight hours of sleep to function best. Many experts have talked about the negative effects of stress from too much work and too little sleep.  Take it easy Exactly how the lack of sleep and excess work hours trigger a heart attack isn't known for sure.

 Both can increase blood pressure and heart rate, and the chronic stress can induce heart function abnormalities. Is there any way to undo the damage if a hectic work schedule is unavoidable and there's no time to get enough sleep? You can compensate by taking more days rest if possible, or eat more healthfully to offset the risk.

Maybe moderate exercise, such as walking or jogging, is good for a person with a sedentary job. But it may not be good for one who is tired out with [manual] labor.I