A good night’s sleep may be more important than you think, especially for senior women. A study conducted at Pennslyvania State University has revealed a link between restless leg syndrome (RLS) and cardiovascular disease (CVD). RLS is a neurological sensory disorder accompanied by involuntary sensations such as twitching, tugging or itching of the legs, which usually occurs at night when the legs are at rest. The study checked the data of 57,417 women aged 67, on average, and who did not suffer from problems such as cancer, renal failure, heart disease, etc, at the beginning of the study. After a 10-year follow-up and analysis, they recorded 6,448 deaths and noted that those suffering from RLS were 43 per cent more likely to die from cardiovascular disease than others. According to the researchers, RLS leads to sleep deprivation, which activates inflammatory cytokines such as serum C-reactive proteins, which contribute to CVD, and are linked to high blood pressure and coronary heart disease.

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Featured in Harmony — Celebrate Age Magazine
April 2018