Could Insomnia Be Hurting My Heart? September 2, 2026 Could Insomnia Be Hurting My Heart? We all have nights when sleep just won’t come. Maybe you find yourself staring at the ceiling long after going to bed, or perhaps you fall asleep easily but keep waking throughout the night. An occasional restless night is usually nothing to worry about. But when poor sleep becomes a regular occurrence, it may affect more than just how tired you feel the next day. Research increasingly suggests that insomnia is associated with cardiovascular disease, including coronary artery disease, heart attacks and heart failure. What is insomnia? Insomnia is one of the most common sleep disorders. It can make it difficult to fall asleep, stay asleep or get good-quality, restorative sleep. During the day, you may notice low energy, sleepiness, irritability or difficulty concentrating and remembering things. How could insomnia affect your heart? Sleep gives your cardiovascular system valuable time to recover. During healthy sleep, your heart rate slows and blood pressure normally falls.1 When sleep is repeatedly shortened or disrupted, your heart may miss out on some of this important recovery time. Insomnia may also keep the body's stress systems more active. Research suggests it can increase sympathetic nervous system activity and levels of cortisol, a hormone involved in the stress response.2 Poor and disrupted sleep has also been associated with higher blood pressure and increased inflammation.2 Over time, these processes may contribute to the development of cardiovascular disease. Insomnia and coronary artery disease Coronary artery disease develops when plaque builds up inside the arteries that supply blood to the heart, causing them to narrow and reducing blood flow. Inflammation and high blood pressure are both involved in cardiovascular disease, and disrupted sleep has been associated with increases in both.1 Research has found an association between insomnia and coronary heart disease. One large study found that different insomnia symptoms were associated with a 27% to 45% increased risk of a first heart attack.1 What about heart failure? Insomnia has also been associated with heart failure, a condition in which the heart cannot pump blood as effectively as the body needs.1 Research suggests that people experiencing multiple insomnia symptoms may have a greater risk of developing heart failure than those without these symptoms. Protect your sleep and your heart If you regularly struggle to fall asleep, stay asleep or wake feeling refreshed, it is worth speaking to your doctor. They can assess your sleep, look for other conditions that may be contributing and discuss treatment options. Taking persistent sleep problems seriously may not only help you feel better during the day, but could also be an important part of looking after your long-term heart health. How Sove CPAP Clinic Can Help Founded in 2008, Sove CPAP Clinic has grown to become a leading provider of respiratory and sleep services and products in Australia, with over 100 clinics nationwide. Our comprehensive clinical team includes Respiratory & Sleep Specialists, Sleep Technologists, and Treatment Consultants, ensuring you receive personalised care. All medical procedures, including sleep studies and lung function testing, are bulk billed to all eligible Australians, with minimal wait time. If you would like to speak to a Respiratory & Sleep Physician, book a bulk-billed sleep study, or seek advice for sleep apnea, you can reach us at 1300 76 29 39 or info@thecpapclinic.com.au. When considering whether a sleep study is right for you, speak to your doctor. Medicare criteria and T&Cs apply. References 1. Javaheri, Sogol, and Susan Redline. “Insomnia and Risk of Cardiovascular Disease.” Chest, vol. 152, no. 2, Aug. 2017, pp. 435–44, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chest.2017.01.026. 2. Suni, Eric. “How Sleep Deprivation Affects Your Heart.” Sleep Foundation, 25 Apr. 2024, https://www.sleepfoundation.org/sleep-deprivation/how-sleep-deprivation-affects-your-heart. Accessed 11 Aug. 2026.
