As we’ve mentioned before, there is a link between heart disease and insomnia across the entire population, but it’s particular prevalent among those with bipolar disorder.
Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in those with bipolar disorder; on average, heart disease strikes 14 years earlier compared to the general population.
A recent study found that bipolar participants with acute insomnia (symptoms lasting one to six months) and bipolar participants with chronic insomnia (symptoms lasting six to twelve months) had significantly higher rates of obesity and hypertension (both risk factors for heart disease) compared to bipolar participants who were good sleepers.
Only 20% of the good sleepers were obese, compared to 42% of those with chronic insomnia and 44% of those with acute insomnia. Only 6% of the good sleepers suffered from hypertension, compared to 29% of chronic insomniacs and 24% of acute insomniacs.
This research suggests that targeting insomnia may help reduce cardiovascular risks in bipolar patients.
So what can you do as a bipolar insomniac to reduce these risks? You can start by trying to go to bed at regular times. Keep your bedroom quiet and free of technology. Whatever you do, don’t ignore your insomnia. It could hold the key to reducing your risk of cardiovascular disease.
Source: Medscape Today
As always, there's more information and advice in our insomnia support forum.
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One could wonder if they studied the population they considered, for medical family histories involving both bipolar and cardiovascular disease. Don’t know about my mother’s side, other than each woman of the last generation died from strokes or their aftermath. My younger sister, who is not for the most part an insomniac, but who did have a stroke 3 years ago, is not bipolar. I can’t put my finger on anything from my mother’s side that would indicate bipolar disorder. It certainly does show up in my father’s family, along with diabetes II AND cardiovascular disease. Not sure about cholesterol, but high blood pressure was there, so having metabolic syndrome was a sure thing for me and my sister.
Diabetes, but not cardiovascular, and bipolar show up on my husband’s side of the family through his father. Mother’s family contributes diabetes as well, but nothing else in this arena. Insomnia? Not that I’ve heard.
So I’m bipolar diabetic/metabolic syndrome, and at risk for stroke. Thus far, no plaque shows up on my tests. Don’t think there’s any cause and effect, but more likely a “these disease often travel in groups” set up.
And did I mention I’m left handed? That’s also, according to some studies, another cause of early death. Not in and of itself, but as a consequence of living in a right-hand world with no real, pervasive accomodation for the brain paths and physical differences of left-handers.
This is very interesting information. I did not realize that having insomnia or Bipolar could affect one’s heart and that one could have a higher risk for heart disease.
Also this article says to try to get to bed earlier that was a suggestion. Really now? It does NOT matter what time a person goes to sleep if they have bipolar. If they have insomnia or bipolar and they are having trouble sleeping, they still can’t go to sleep even if they go to bed early. It may take them very many hours. Their brains just can’t sleep and they can’t calm down. They may be worried or stressed about something. They may have too much on their minds. The meds may be all screwed up and or they may be changing their dosage or their medications.
Perhaps one reason those that have bipolar are obese is due to their medications as the medications alone tend to make the person gain many more pounds of weight fast.