A study has shown that getting plenty of sleep immediately after a heart attack can help in faster recovery and reduce the risk of another heart attack.
Recent research suggests that the body requires more rest to aid in recovery, especially after a heart attack.
The senior author of the study, Cameron McAlpine, an Assistant Professor of Cardiology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City, stated that while it has long been known that good sleep helps prevent heart attacks, the effects of sleep after a heart attack were less understood. In other words, what role does sleep play in recovery after a heart attack?
Researchers conducted several laboratory experiments, in which they induced heart attacks in some mice and left others unaffected. Using high-resolution imaging and implanted devices in the mice, they recorded brain activity and sleep patterns.
After the heart attack, the mice experienced a threefold increase in deep sleep over the next week, as observed in their brain waves. The scientists also noted increased activity of immune cells called monocytes, which contribute to the increased sleep.
