OTTAWA -- Your mother was right again: a good night’s sleep is crucial.
Mom’s wisdom is wholeheartedly endorsed by internationally renowned cardiologist Dr. Peter Liu, who is researching sleep as part of his study on the intrinsic relationship between the heart and the brain.
Liu says sleep is one of the most important things you can do for both organs. They are connected.
"What we don’t realize is during the daytime our organs are fighting, they are fighting their environments and all of the challenges and they're slowly breaking down. It’s only during sleep that all the repair and restoration takes place."
Dr. Liu is the Chief Scientific Officer and Vice President of Research at the University of Ottawa Heart Institute.
He says the heart and the brain are working in harmony, in a coordinated process.
"This is where our memory, in fact, gets locked away and this is where the heart restores its proper function. If we don’t take advantage of this opportunity then memory will fade, the heart will get stressed and this can lead to high blood pressure, heart failure and all those risks."
For best heart health, and cognitive health, don’t only catch some z’s, get a solid night’s sleep.
Dr. Liu’s top five tips for restorative sleep:
- Establish regular sleep patterns. At least six and a half hours. Ideally seven.
- Exercise regularly. Exercise promotes sleep.
- Get proper nutrition. Avoid large meals before bed as that can disrupt your sleep.
- Avoid stimulating social interaction before bed. Limit screen time and any "anger inducing" communication.
- If you are a binge-watcher, avoid scary or stressful viewing before you hit the sack.
Dr. Liu also says don’t ignore the snore!
Snorers: Listen To The Spouse Who Nags You:
"Sleep apnea is a major risk factor for heart disease. Patients who snore very loudly may in fact block their airway while they’re sleeping. Those long pauses put them at risk for high blood pressure, stroke, heart attack, or heart failure. These things are very closely related and it’s very important that we maintain sleep hygiene."
Man’s Best Friend is the best prescription:
A smiling Doctor Liu says he often tells patients to get a dog. "Walk the dog. Make sure they have the most energetic and healthiest dog in the neighbourhood."
Yes, a virtual dog will do. Just get outside and walk.
How bad weather is bad for your health:
Dr. Liu says: "During a snowstorm, we’re all stressed out. An average blood pressure will actually increase by 5 mm of mercury. Our heart rate will rise and increase our risk of developing stroke, heart attack or heart failure.
"The brain and the heart are constantly coordinated with each other. This comes not only with the fact that the heart pumps the blood supply to the brain but, in fact, the electrical signals in the heart coordinate with the brain waves in the mind, so that we can actually carry out our daily function, as well as our sleep and other challenging stressful tired times in a coordinated fashion."
February is Heart Month
Jim Orban, the President and CEO of the University of Ottawa Heart Institute Foundation, says he is thrilled to have Dr. Liu leading such impactful research.
"Dr. Liu is not only a top cardiologist, the Heart Institute’s Chief Scientific Officer, internationally renowned for heart failure research, and the ambassador for Heart Month, but what’s not on his resume, is his infectious enthusiasm. Everyone around him responds to that," Orban said.
"The Institute has just finished a seven year fundraising campaign with a focus on building infrastructure. Now the goal is to raise funds for research and prevention of heart disease," he added.
Orban believes the researchers at The Heart Institute will improve patient life quickly.
"With Dr. Liu at the helm, we can focus more on translational medicine ‘from bench to bedside’ quicker," Orban said. "In the next three to five years I think it’s going to be a new frontier in cardiovascular a research at The Heart Institute."
Orban is appreciative of Dr. Liu, the incredibly generous donations from the community and, this year, the calendar.
"I like a leap year. We have one more day of fundraising in February."
For more information about February is Heart Month and the University of Ottawa Heart Institute, visit www.februaryisheatmonth.ca
