--- title: Reduce Your Chances for Stroke, Heart Attack and Early Death description: Discover how prioritizing quality sleep can dramatically improve your health, reduce disease risk, and enhance overall well-being. Learn actionable tips to boost your Deep and REM sleep. image: https://www.helpmychronicpain.com/hubfs/images/AdobeStock_Prioritize%20Sleep-1800.webp --- [![Dr Karl Johnson Logo Header](https://www.helpmychronicpain.com/hs-fs/file-1517915219-png/images/logo.png "Dr Karl Johnson Logo Header")](https://www.helpmychronicpain.com) [![contact-img](https://www.helpmychronicpain.com/hs-fs/file-1517915214-png/images/contact-img.png)](http://helpmychronicpain.com/) ## Dr. Karl R.O.S. Johnson's Chronic Condition Natural Treatment Blog *Intentional musings of a unique Shelby Township Michigan Chiropractic Physician dedicated to helping people find solutions to improving their health by rooting out causes to chronic conditions such as fibromyalgia, stubborn thyroid disorder symptoms, balance disorders, chronic knee & shoulder pain, migraines, sciatica, ADD/ADHD/ASD, back pain, peripheral neuropathy, gluten sensitivity and autoimmune disorders so they can Reclaim Their Life!* # From the Desk of Dr. Karl R.O.S. Johnson, DC..... ## [Reduce Your Chances for Stroke, Heart Attack and Early Death](https://www.helpmychronicpain.com/blog/reduce-your-chances-for-stroke-heart-attack-and-early-death) Posted by [Dr. Karl R.O.S. Johnson, DC](https://www.helpmychronicpain.com/blog/author/dr-karl-ros-johnson-dc) on Tue, May 13, 2025 Find me on: [Facebook ](https://www.facebook.com/ShelbyChronicConditionDoctor) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/pub/dr-karl-r-o-s-johnson-dc/26/676/422) [Twitter ](https://twitter.com/WellnessChiroMI) - [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share) ## Warning: Ignoring This One Habit Could Lead to Serious Health Consequences (Stroke, Heart Attack, and Early Death) Guest post by Ronald Grisanti D.C., D.A.B.C.O., DACBN, MS, CFMP ### The #1 Health Risk Most People Never Notice — Until It Leads to Serious Disease (And How to Avoid It) When working toward your fitness or lifestyle goals, it's easy to focus only on exercise and diet. But there's another key piece of the puzzle you can't afford to overlook: **SLEEP** ![AdobeStock_Prioritize Sleep-1800](https://www.helpmychronicpain.com/hs-fs/hubfs/images/AdobeStock_Prioritize%20Sleep-1800.webp?width=1800&height=1200&name=AdobeStock_Prioritize%20Sleep-1800.webp)Good nutrition and regular exercise build the foundation of health. ### Neglecting sleep can silently tear it down — often without symptoms until serious disease develops. When life gets busy with work, family, and training, sleep often gets sacrificed first. Missing a few hours here and there might not seem like a big deal — but over time, that **"sleep debt"** builds into real biological damage. Unchecked sleep deprivation can silently drive the development of: - **Heart disease and hypertension** - **Type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome** - **Obesity** - **Depression, anxiety, and mental health disorders** - **Alzheimer's disease and cognitive decline** - **Suppressed immunity and increased cancer risk** - **Stroke and early death** ## Sleep disorders and poor sleep habits are extremely common — but they are not harmless. According to the National Sleep Foundation: 40 million Americans struggle with chronic sleep disorders 60% of adults report sleep problems several nights per week **Yet many people still underestimate sleep — until the consequences catch up.** **The Science: Why Sleep Matters So Much** Modern research shows that sleep powers every major system in your body. It's the time your body performs critical repair processes that cannot happen when you are awake. ## Here's why protecting your sleep is protecting your life: ### **1. Boosts Physical Recovery and Performance** During **DEEP sleep,** your body: - Repairs and rebuilds muscle fibers after exercise - Strengthens bones - Restores hormone levels (like growth hormone and testosterone) - Balances blood sugar and insulin - Regulates blood pressure and heart rate - Strengthens immune function to fight infection and disease **Without deep sleep, your body remains in a low-grade inflammatory state.** Over time, this fuels chronic disease, weakens your recovery from injuries, and accelerates aging. ### **2. Sharpens Memory and Cognitive Function** **During REM sleep, your brain:** - Consolidates short-term memories into long-term memory - Clears metabolic waste (such as amyloid-beta linked to Alzheimer's) - Recharges your ability to focus, solve problems, and think clearly - Enhances creativity and emotional regulation **Without enough REM sleep, you become vulnerable to memory lapses, impaired judgment, slower thinking, mood swings, and eventually cognitive diseases.** ### **3. Protects Mental Health and Emotional Stability** Healthy sleep stabilizes neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine, which control mood, motivation, and resilience to stress. ## In contrast, chronic poor sleep: - Doubles the risk of depression and generalized anxiety disorder - Raises cortisol levels (your stress hormone) - Increases risk of emotional volatility, panic attacks, and even suicidal ideation **One study found that people who consistently sleep fewer than 6 hours per night have a 300% higher risk of developing depression.** ## It's Not Just About Hours — It's About Quality: Deep and REM Sleep **Sleeping 7–8 hours is meaningless if your Deep and REM sleep are disrupted.** **Here's why these stages matter so much:** ### **Deep Sleep (Slow Wave Sleep):** Physical repair, immune strength, hormone restoration, blood pressure regulation, inflammation control ### **REM Sleep (Rapid Eye Movement Sleep):** Emotional processing, memory building, brain detoxification, stress resilience, creativity **Without enough Deep and REM sleep, your body and brain stay inflamed, stressed, and vulnerable — even if you technically "sleep" 8 hours.** ## Consequences of Poor Deep and REM Sleep ![Sleep Deprivation-1800](https://www.helpmychronicpain.com/hs-fs/hubfs/images/Sleep%20Deprivation-1800.webp?width=1800&height=1243&name=Sleep%20Deprivation-1800.webp) **1. Cardiovascular Damage** Low deep sleep increases blood pressure, arterial stiffness, and **heart attack risk by as much as 48%.** **2. Rapid Cognitive Decline** Chronic REM deprivation triples your risk for Alzheimer's disease and dementia. **3. Uncontrolled Weight Gain and Diabetes** Lack of quality sleep worsens insulin resistance, increases belly fat storage, and boosts cravings for sugar and processed foods. **4. Weakened Immune Defense** Even a few nights of disrupted sleep lower natural killer (NK) cell activity, increasing vulnerability to infections — and even cancer. **5. Emotional Instability and Mental Health Risks** Reduced REM sleep disrupts emotional regulation, increasing your risk of depression, anxiety, loneliness, and social withdrawal. **6. Increased Mortality** Several large studies show that people with consistently poor sleep have a 30–50% higher risk of early death — often from cardiovascular events, cancers, or metabolic diseases. ## How to Dramatically Improve Deep and REM Sleep ![AdobeStock_How to sleep better-1800](https://www.helpmychronicpain.com/hs-fs/hubfs/images/AdobeStock_How%20to%20sleep%20better-1800.webp?width=1800&height=1201&name=AdobeStock_How%20to%20sleep%20better-1800.webp)The good news: Deep and REM sleep are highly responsive to simple daily changes. **1. Create a Consistent Sleep-Wake Schedule** Set a fixed bedtime and wake time (even on weekends). Your brain craves rhythm. Sleep quality improves dramatically when your circadian rhythm stays consistent. **2. Eliminate Evening Light Exposure** Turn off phones, computers, TVs, and bright lights at least 60–90 minutes before bed. Use dim lights, candles, or amber glasses if needed. **3. Reduce Evening Stress** Meditation, deep breathing, prayer, gratitude journaling, or stretching lowers cortisol and allows melatonin (your sleep hormone) to rise naturally. **High evening cortisol directly blocks Deep and REM sleep stages.** **4. Keep the Bedroom Cool, Dark, and Silent** Ideal temperature: 65–68°F (18–20°C) Use blackout curtains, white noise machines, and remove electronics. **5. Be Strategic with Caffeine, Alcohol, and Meals** No caffeine after 2 p.m. Minimize alcohol, which fragments sleep architecture Finish eating 2–3 hours before bedtime to avoid late-night blood sugar spikes. **6. Track and Personalize Your Sleep Strategy** **Use tools like WHOOP to monitor:** - Total sleep time - Time in Deep and REM sleep - Sleep debt accumulation - Heart rate variability (HRV) and recovery scores ## Personalized data helps you identify exactly what improves or damages your sleep quality. **Small Changes, Massive Results** Protecting your Deep and REM sleep unlocks: - Faster muscle recovery - Sharper memory and learning - Better mood and emotional strength - Lower disease risk - Longer, healthier lifespan ## Take Control of Your Health Through Better Sleep Sleep is not a luxury — it is essential life support. Protecting your sleep is protecting your heart, your brain, your metabolism, and your future. Prioritize quality sleep — **maximize your Deep and REM cycles **— and unlock the healthiest, strongest, most energized version of yourself. **Dr. Grisanti's Comments:** A little while ago, I hit a wall. I was falling asleep at church, at conferences — places where I *wanted* to be fully present. My blood pressure was climbing, and no matter what I tried, I just didn't feel well. Deep down, I knew something was wrong, but I couldn't put my finger on it. Then I started using a **WHOOP watch**. And what it revealed shocked me: I was living in *severe* sleep debt. My body had been running on empty for far too long. Seeing those numbers made it real. It wasn't just "in my head" — my body was pleading for help. That moment was a turning point. I made a decision: *No more ignoring the signs. I was going to fight for my health.* I got serious about my sleep. I tracked every metric. I restructured my nights. And one of the most powerful tools I found along the way was the **Binaural Beats Healing Sleep app**: > **Brainwaves Frequency Generator 4+** > Binaural Beats & Sound Machine > by AirByte Technology Co., Ltd. [Delta waves](https://mindalive.org/blogs/news/theta-delta-waves), especially around 3 Hz, help deepen your sleep — pulling you into the kind of rest that heals. [Theta waves](https://mindalive.org/blogs/news/theta-delta-waves) (4–8 Hz) fuel REM sleep, where emotional processing and vivid dreams unfold. Listening to these frequencies became part of my nightly rhythm. ![AdobeStock_Binaural Beats Concept-KROSJ-1800](https://www.helpmychronicpain.com/hs-fs/hubfs/images/AdobeStock_Binaural%20Beats%20Concept-KROSJ-1800.webp?width=1800&height=1525&name=AdobeStock_Binaural%20Beats%20Concept-KROSJ-1800.webp) Since then, everything has changed. My sleep quality has soared. My blood pressure has dropped. I wake up energized, clear-minded, more focused and ready to tackle the day If you're feeling exhausted or off balance and you can't explain why, I encourage you: start tracking. Tools like WHOOP can be a wake-up call — not just showing you what's wrong, but empowering you to heal. **And just so you know:** I don't get a dime from sharing this. I recommend WHOOP simply because it helped me change my life — and maybe, it can help you too. [![I Want Help For My Brain or Inflammation](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/67234/d7c780b3-40e6-4125-8eb8-4eca6bd08c8f.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/67234/d7c780b3-40e6-4125-8eb8-4eca6bd08c8f) Please spread the word and inspire others to take control of their health and wellness. To learn more, [check out what makes my philosophy unique](https://www.helpmychronicpain.com/what-makes-me-unique/) among healthcare providers. --- Always remember one of my mantras, "The more you know about how your body works, the better you can take care of yourself." For more details about the natural approach I take with my patients, take a look at the book I wrote entitled: [Reclaim Your Life; Your Guide To Revealing Your Body's Life-Changing Secrets For Renewed Health](https://www.helpmychronicpain.com/reclaim-your-life/). It is available in my office or at [Amazon](http://amzn.to/TmPgZW) and many other book outlets. If you found value in this article, **please use the social sharing icons at the top of this post and please share with those you know** who are still suffering with chronic health challenges, despite receiving medical management. Help me reach more people so they may regain their zest for living! Thank you! ## ALL THE BEST – [DR. KARL R.O.S. JOHNSON, DC](https://www.helpmychronicpain.com/about-me) – DIGGING DEEPER TO FIND SOLUTIONS  **References:** [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK19961/](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK19961/) [https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20469800/](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20469800/) [https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20621406/](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20621406/) [https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/sleep/why-sleep-important](https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/sleep/why-sleep-important) [https://www.health.harvard.edu/newsletter_article/sleep-and-mental-health](https://www.health.harvard.edu/newsletter_article/sleep-and-mental-health) [https://www.neurology.org/doi/10.1212/wnl.0000000000004373](https://www.neurology.org/doi/10.1212/wnl.0000000000004373) [https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37651644/](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37651644/) [https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32280974/](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32280974/) [https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21550729/](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21550729/) [https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34325825/](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34325825/) [https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37116584/](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37116584/) [https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22071480/](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22071480/) [https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29510179/](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29510179/) [https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37738616/](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37738616/) ** Always consult with a physician or healthcare practitioner with significant integrative or functional medicine training before starting any of the above recommendations.   This article was contributed by [Functional Medicine University](https://www.functionalmedicineuniversity.com) Topics: [Heart Disease](https://www.helpmychronicpain.com/blog/topic/heart-disease), [Hypertension](https://www.helpmychronicpain.com/blog/topic/hypertension), [Sleep](https://www.helpmychronicpain.com/blog/topic/sleep), [Good Sleep](https://www.helpmychronicpain.com/blog/topic/good-sleep), [Stroke](https://www.helpmychronicpain.com/blog/topic/stroke) ### STAY INFORMED - Sign Up For Dr. Johnson's Blog Updates Search This Blog Search Google [![I Could Use Some Help With My Health](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/67234/18beb174-b53e-4a4d-8018-f3bb7049a9e7.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/67234/18beb174-b53e-4a4d-8018-f3bb7049a9e7) ### Call Dr. Johnson #### 586-731-8840 ### Follow Me ### Latests Posts ### Most Popular Posts [![Reclaim Your Life Book 3D Reflect](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/67234/9f6ed339-86f2-4e81-afff-effda60643ed.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/67234/9f6ed339-86f2-4e81-afff-effda60643ed) [Powered by Eventbrite](http://www.eventbrite.com/) - [Home](https://www.helpmychronicpain.com/) - [About Dr. Karl R.O.S. 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Johnson, DC, BCN **| 51735 Van Dyke Avenue Shelby Township, MI 48316 | For appointments call: 586-731-8840 Use of this site constitutes your agreement to our [Terms of Service](https://www.helpmychronicpain.com/terms-of-service) and [Privacy Practices](https://www.helpmychronicpain.com/privacy-policy) [© 2021 Johnson Chiropractic Neurology & Nutrition](https://www.helpmychronicpain.com/terms-of-service)   Notice: Dr. Karl R.O.S. Johnson, DC, BCN, DNMSc, FICPA, FIFHI is state licensed by the chiropractic board in Michigan to provide conventional chiropractic health care services and is also certified by the International Association of NeuroMetabolic Professionals to provide natural health services and therapies. The services provided to clients are intended to improve the adaptive physiology of the client through nutritional, exercise, lifestyle and physiological education, information, recommendations, and training. Conventional chiropractic and neurometabolic services are completely separate services and each is provided in strict compliance with the rules and regulations set forth by the separate agencies. If you wish to receive natural health services you must first sign a Client Services Agreement.