Insomnia, Stress Affect Postmenopausal Women’s Irregular Heartbeat

It goes without saying that stress and lack of sleep can have a negative impact on various aspects of our health. And thus, it should come as no surprise that research conducted by the American Heart Association (AHA) in 2023 revealed that stress and insomnia are connected to an irregular heart rhythm in postmenopausal women.

As the AHA noted:

Psychosocial factors are the “missing piece of the puzzle” that can lead to atrial fibrillation, or AFib, said the study’s lead author. The findings were published in the Journal of the American Heart Association.

“I see many postmenopausal women with seemingly excellent physical health but who struggle with poor sleep and negative psychological and emotional experiences, and now we know that these things may put them at risk of developing atrial fibrillation,” stated lead author Dr. Susan X. Zhao in a news release. Dr. Zhao is a cardiologist at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center in California.

Study: Stress, Insomnia Linked to Irregular Heartbeat After Menopause

In order to explore the link between psychosocial factors and atrial fibrillation, the researchers analyzed data on postmenopausal women from the Women’s Health Initiative. A total of 83,736 women with an average age of nearly 64 years old (ranging from 50 to 79), and with 23,954 cases of atrial fibrillation found after a follow-up period of approximately 10 years (more than 28% of the participants).

To determine potential factors in the women with irregular heartbeat incidences, the study authors had the women complete questionnaires that covered the following categories:

• stressful life events
• sense of optimism
• social support
• insomnia

As the AHA put it:

The participants answered questions about stressful life events such as the loss of a loved one, illness, divorce, financial pressure, and domestic, verbal, physical, or sexual abuse. Questions about their sleeping habits focused on overall quality and whether they had trouble falling asleep or waking up during the night. Other questions addressed their life and social supports and their sense of optimism.

The researchers found: “For each additional point on the insomnia scale, there is a 4% higher likelihood of developing atrial fibrillation. Similarly, for each additional point on the stressful life event scale, there is a 2% higher likelihood of having atrial fibrillation.”

“The connection between the heart and the brain has been well-established in many conditions,” said Dr. Zhao in the press release. “Atrial fibrillation is a disease of the electrical conduction system and is prone to hormonal changes resulting from stress and poor sleep. These common pathways likely underlie the association between stress and insomnia and atrial fibrillation.”

Tips to Help Prevent AFib

1. Find Ways to Lower Stress Levels

Since stress is known to play a role in cardiac arrhythmias, it is a good idea to incorporate stress-relieving methods and natural ways to reduce stress. These include:

• engaging in exercise and practicing yoga
• engaging in meditation and healing prayer
• trying acupuncture
• eating a diet rich in nutrients
• participating in cognitive behavioral therapy
• spending time in nature
• keeping a journal
• using herbs and essential oils

2. Get Enough Sleep

Sleep deprivation is associated with numerous issues for the heart, including atrial fibrillation. Here are some tips to promote restful sleep:

• Utilize natural sleep aids such as sleep-promoting foods, calcium, magnesium, essential oils, passion flower, valerian root, and St. John’s wort.
• Practice good sleep hygiene practices, including maintaining a consistent sleep schedule, creating a bedtime routine, creating a comfortable sleep environment, limiting screen exposure before bedtime, watching what you eat and drink, engaging in regular exercise, limiting napping, managing stress, avoiding looking at the clock, getting exposure to natural light during the day, and so on.
• Try using a weighted blanket.

3. Protect Heart Health

Some of the best ways to safeguard your heart and avoid irregular heartbeat issues like atrial fibrillation and tachycardia include:

• performing vagal maneuvers such as coughing, bearing down, blowing through a syringe, applying cold to the face, inducing gagging, and performing carotid massage
• following a healthy, anti-inflammatory diet
• exercising regularly
• quitting smoking
• maintaining a healthy weight
• reducing stress
• trying acupuncture

<li getting a yearly checkup from your doctor

• reducing exposure to toxins
• avoiding energy drinks and limiting alcohol consumption