How Your Sleep Breathing Patterns Could Be Affecting Your Heart
We spend a third of our lives sleeping1, yet most of us never think about how we're breathing during those precious hours of rest. Turns out, the quality of your nighttime breathing might be just as important as your morning meditation or evening wind-down routine, especially when it comes to your heart.
Breath + sleep + heart health
Sleep and cardiovascular health have long been connected, but new research2 is revealing just how intertwined they really are, with circadian rhythms serving as the missing link.
The study specifically examines obstructive sleep apnea (OSA)—a condition where breathing repeatedly stops and starts during sleep, and its relationship to heart disease. Here’s what the researchers found:
Disrupted sleep patterns don't just affect your energy levels; they can also increase your risk of both sleep apnea and cardiovascular disease. When your breathing is compromised during sleep, it sets off a cascade of biological responses, including inflammation, oxidative stress, and changes in how your cells sense and respond to oxygen.
Your circadian rhythm is at the center of it all. Those patients with OSA often show abnormal circadian patterns in crucial markers like blood pressure, heart rate, melatonin production, and cortisol levels. The research even found that intermittent drops in oxygen during sleep can alter the expression of core clock genes in heart and lung tissue within just a few hours.
Perhaps most importantly, chronotherapy, aligning treatments with your body's natural rhythms, shows promise as a therapeutic approach for reducing both sleep apnea and cardiovascular risks.
Breathe better, sleep deeper
This research underscores the importance of your body's natural sleep-wake cycle as foundational to cardiovascular health.
Focus on what's within your control to support healthy nighttime breathing and circadian rhythms:
- Stick to consistent sleep and wake times, even on weekends, to reinforce your body's natural clock
- Create a sleep sanctuary with a cool, dark, quiet environment that promotes deep, uninterrupted rest
- Consider magnesium supplementation before bed to support muscle relaxation (including airway muscles3), and can help improve sleep quality
- Manage evening stress through breathwork, gentle stretching, or meditation to prevent circadian disruption
- Sleep on your side rather than your back, which can help keep airways open during the night
- Speak with your healthcare provider if you experience snoring, gasping, or suspect breathing issues during sleep
The takeaway
Your heart health isn’t just about what you eat or how much you move—it’s also about how you breathe and sleep. Paying attention to your nightly breathing, supporting healthy circadian rhythms, and working with healthcare professionals to manage OSA can give your heart a nightly boost.
