Cardiovascular disease

A growing amount of evidence shows a relationship between long and short term sleep loss and cardiovascular disease, including increased blood pressure and increased risk of stroke in addition to other long-term health consequences. Sleep deprivation has been associated with a rise in blood pressure during the night that lasts through the following day. Evidence suggests an association between too much or too little sleep and an increased risk of coronary heart disease in women. There is a high prevalence of sleep apnea among people with cardiovascular problems. People with this common sleep disorder are at increased risk of hypertension, as well as sudden death from cardiac causes during the night.

• Sleep paralysis: being unable to talk or move for a brief period when falling asleep or waking up.

• Hypnagogic hallucinations: vivid and often frightening dreams and sounds reported when falling asleep.

• Automatic behavior: performing familiar tasks without full awareness or later memory of them.