Can Sleep Help Prevent Heart Disease?

My Happy Heart

We all know about the hot flashes and night sweats that occur during and after menopause. But did you know that after a woman reaches menopause, she becomes more prone to various heart diseases. Did you know that heart disease is one of the most common causes of death in women over 60?

In fact, most of the deaths in women are caused because of cardiovascular problems . Menopause is the natural risk generator for heart diseases in women. Besides menopause, other risk factors include diabetes, smoking, high blood pressure, high LDL or "bad" cholesterol, low HDL or "good" cholesterol, obesity, inactive lifestyle and family history of heart disease.  

Here are some tips to keep your heart healthy and happy...

Get Enough Sleep Recent studies show that people that do not get enough sleep increase their risk of heart disease. If your sleep issues are due to night sweats, you'll need to consider the bedding and pajamas you are wearing. Cool-jams provides many solutions to night sweats thus allowing a better night's sleep.

Avoid or quit smoking Smoking almost doubles the risk of various types of heart ailments . Even secondhand smoke  can increase the risk of heart problems.

Maintain a healthy body weight The more you weigh, the harder your heart has to work to give your body nutrients. Being overweight makes you more prone to heart problems. Try to stay away from junk food and maintain a healthy weight to ward off potential health problems.

Exercise is important In order to keep your heart healthy you'll need to  exercise daily for at least 30 minutes. Daily exercise helps pump blood more efficiently throughout the body and also helps in reducing many other problems like high blood pressure, cholesterol, and stress. It also helps improve blood sugar levels.

Eat well Eat a diet rich in fiber and low in fat. Include more dark green leafy vegetables, fresh fruits, soy, whole grains and fish in your diet.

Take medicinal care Get regular check ups to avoid health problems. Diabetes, high cholesterol, and high blood pressure are known risk factors for heart disease. Hence keep a check over all the other health problems as well.