Kweku’s Korner
By Derek H. Suite, M.D.
Derek H. Suite, M.D.
One in three Americans–roughly 84 million people– is sleep deprived and 50-70 million suffer from sleep disorders, with nearly 50 million confirming the use of a nightly sleep medication. The long-term use of sleep meds– not just chronic sleep deprivation – leads to chronic illness and early death. This creates a dilemma for those who have sleep issues and need help. Mindfulness practices may offer an alternative.
This article will summarize the opposing effects of sleep deprivation and Mindfulness and show how Mindfulness counteracts the stress effects of sleep deprivation on the body and increases longevity.
Heart Health:
Sleep deprivation overworks the heart whereas mindfulness reduces the heart’s workload:
Sleep Deprivation:
• Dysregulates blood pressure and increases heart attack risk.
• Increases chronic inflammation and plaque formation.
Mindfulness:
• Lowers stress; drops systolic blood pressure by 5–10 mmHg.
• Lower risk of stroke; reduces platelets’ ability to clog blood vessels.
Brain Health:
Lack of sleep depletes focus, decision-making, and memory. Mindfulness increases cognitive control, emotional regulation, focus, and attention.
Sleep Deprivation:
• Shrinks brain regions involved with memory, increases cognitive decline, and increases Alzheimer’s risk.
• Impairs the brain’s ability to detoxify itself and degrades brain cells.
Mindfulness:
• Increases brain regions involved in executive functions and decision-making.
• Improves the brain’s ability to detoxify harmful substances.
Immune & Musculoskeletal Health:
Poor sleep weakens the body’s defense and repair systems. Mindfulness strengthens their capabilities.
Sleep Deprivation:
• Impairs infection defense weakens vaccine response and slows muscle repair.
• Increases inflammation and risk of chronic pain intensification.
Mindfulness:
• Enhances cell-mediated immunity and increases antiviral genes.
• Decreases inflammation and accelerates pain recovery and injury healing.
V. Longevity Health:
Longevity is profoundly influenced by the amount of nightly sleep and whether Mindfulness is practiced.
Sleep Deprivation:
• Less than 7 hours of sleep is linked to a 10% increase in mortality.
• Accelerates aging process –genetically measured by telomere shortening.
Mindfulness:
• Associated with longer telomeres and extended lifespan.
• Associated with enhanced resilience to age decline.
What’s the Science:
The bottom line hinges on which nervous system is being influenced: Chronic sleep deprivation puts your sympathetic (fight or flight) nervous system in overdrive and in the direction of inflammation, and organ stress, leading to injuries, infections, disease– and early death.
Mindfulness activates your rest and digestion (parasympathetic nervous system), pointing it toward stress recovery, cellular repair, toxin clearance—and longevity.
Actionable Strategies:
• Sleep Hygiene Fixes:
1. Prioritize 7–9 hours nightly with consistent bedtimes.
2. Create a cool, dark, quiet sleep environment.
• Mindfulness Tools:
1. Practice 10 minutes of daily meditation/breathwork.
2. Use free online resources or local classes for guided mindfulness.
Given the dangers associated with poor sleep and the chronic use of sleeping pills, it makes sense to implement immediate sleep hygiene changes if you, or someone you care about, need help. Consider visiting a primary health provider and purchasing a sleep tracker. Even if 7 nightly hours of sleep is difficult, you may find it easier to implement a 10-minute daily mindfulness practice to reap some of its health benefits.