Your Sleep Right Affects Mortality

~~For those of you who are working your way through my book you realize how important your "Sleep Right" is to your overall Health and Wellness. That is why in the chapter I entitled "Sleep Right the Solution" I give you a list of things that you can do to assist yourself and others in getting better sleep.
 
If you are not motivated enough to recognize the importance of proper rest to your overall longevity, perhaps this study completed by researchers from Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard School of Public Health lead researcher Xang Gao, MD, PhD will help emphasize the importance of this one of our four pillars of health. This study was published both on line, and in the printed journal of the American Heart Association, "Circulation".
 
Understanding that insomnia is the most common sleep disorder, and affects up to one third of the population in the U.S., I also want you to recognize the importance of the fact that some of the symptoms of insomnia are associated with an increased risk of mortality according to these researchers. This research points to a "modest increased risk of death from cardiovascular related issues" in men.
 
The study followed 23,000 men for six years. The researchers found that between 2004 and 2010 there were 2025 deaths of all causes in this group. Of those men that noted difficulty initiating sleep, and having "non-restorative sleep" there was a 55 percent and 32 percent increased risk of cardiovascular disease related mortality respectively.  
 
Now, here is the statement from Dr. Xang Gao that validates the Sleep Right Pillar of my Four Pillars of Health. He stated that; "Now we know that not only can poor sleep impact disease risk, but it may also impact our longevity. While further research is necessary to confirm these findings, there is overwhelming evidence that practicing good sleep hygiene and prioritizing sufficient and restful sleep is an often overlooked but important modifiable risk factor in overall health."  
 
The take away from this and all of the other related research is that proper and sufficient sleep is critical to your overall Health and Wellness. If you haven't already, pick up a copy of my book, "Dr. Pfeiffer's Guide to a Longer Healthier Life," and start making some lifestyle changes that I recommend. I want both you and me to continue enjoying the beauty that surrounds us each and every day for decades to come.