A study in the New England Journal of Medicine shows a link between heart attacks and the clocks moving an hour ahead. The study says that on the Mondays immediately after spring’s Daylight Saving Time, heart attacks increase by nearly 25 percent.
Baystate Medical Center cardiologist Greg Guigliano told 22News that heart attacks tend to be more common in the early morning hours
“I think we associate early morning hours and lack of sleep with increases in stress levels. That can mean increases in heart rate, increases in your blood pressure,” Guigliano said.
Those factors combined with the added stress your body is going through adjusting to losing an hour of sleep could be one explanation for the jump in that risk for heart attacks.
Dr. Guigliano also told 22News the most vulnerable are those who already have heart disease risk factors, including diabetes, high blood pressure, smoking, high cholesterol, and a family history of heart disease.
The American Heart Association warns that if you have any kind of chest pain or discomfort, shortness of breath, or if you feel lightheaded or nauseous, you could be having symptoms of a heart attack and you need to get to a hospital immediately.
Baystate Medical Center cardiologist Greg Guigliano told 22News that heart attacks tend to be more common in the early morning hours
“I think we associate early morning hours and lack of sleep with increases in stress levels. That can mean increases in heart rate, increases in your blood pressure,” Guigliano said.
Those factors combined with the added stress your body is going through adjusting to losing an hour of sleep could be one explanation for the jump in that risk for heart attacks.
Dr. Guigliano also told 22News the most vulnerable are those who already have heart disease risk factors, including diabetes, high blood pressure, smoking, high cholesterol, and a family history of heart disease.
The American Heart Association warns that if you have any kind of chest pain or discomfort, shortness of breath, or if you feel lightheaded or nauseous, you could be having symptoms of a heart attack and you need to get to a hospital immediately.