The alarm clock has become an integral part of our daily routine. Most people wake up to its signal to avoid being late for work, to get their child ready for school, or for other important matters. However, few consider the negative consequences of artificial awakening. This is a mistake.
Researcher Kim Yeong-su from the School of Nursing at Virginia University decided to study the impact of forced awakening by an alarm clock on human health. Her experiment involved 30 healthy middle-aged volunteers.
The experiment lasted two days. During this time, participants wore smartwatches that recorded their blood pressure. After the first night, they woke up naturally, and the next morning — by the alarm, which went off five hours after the start of sleep.
A comparative analysis of blood pressure readings showed that artificial interruption of sleep causes a sharp increase. This condition can lead to a heart attack or stroke. When participants woke up naturally, their blood pressure increased 74% less sharply, significantly reducing the risk of a heart attack.
Kim Yeong-su noted that during spikes in blood pressure, the sympathetic nervous system is activated. This leads to increased blood flow to vital organs, resulting in blood vessels narrowing and an increased load on the heart.
Moreover, lack of sleep (less than seven hours a day) exacerbates the negative effects on the cardiovascular system, leading to an even sharper increase in blood pressure. Kim Yeong-su discussed the progress of her research in an article published on the university's website.
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