Improve Sleep and Waist-to-Hip Ratio: A Two Prong Approach to Protect the

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Studies have shown that insufficient sleep poses a significant risk to cardiovascular morbidity and mortality.

Due to irregular work and rest schedules, people often experience a lack of sleep and belly fat accumulation, both closely related to the risk of cardiovascular disease. Liu Zhongping, a specialist instructor physician of the Taiwan Society of Internal Medicine, said on NTDTV’s “Health 1+1” program that by regulating sleep habits and controlling waist size, visceral fat can be effectively reduced, and the threat of cardiovascular disease (CVD) subdued.

Lack of Sleep–a CVD Enhancer

According to Liu, irregular work and rest patterns have created increasing problems among modern-day people. Insufficient sleep itself can lead to increased blood pressure, inflammation in the body, hormonal imbalance, and metabolic abnormalities, making us prone to obesity.

Studies have pointed out that insufficient sleep poses a significant risk to cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. In a large cohort of postmenopausal women, self-reported sleep of 5 hours or less and 10 or more was associated with increased risk of coronary heart disease, of 25 percent and 43 percent, respectively, compared with those with 7 to 8 hours of sleep per night, after adjusting for age and races.

Liu said that although a study from the European Society of Cardiology pointed out that people who sleep more on weekends may reduce the risk of heart disease by 20 percent, he does not encourage this practice. He believes that long-term sleep deprivation from Monday to Friday has caused too much harm to the body that can’t be compensated by sleeping more on weekends.

The cycle of getting up early on weekdays, late on weekends, followed by another early wake-up on Monday, will cause sympathetic nerve shock and excitement, and a high secretion of stress hormones, making the body feel uncomfortable. It is, therefore vital to get enough sleep every day, working day or non-working alike.

Liu recommends eating enough protein to help stabilize your brain and improve your sleep. Fish and lean meat can be eaten before going to bed. In addition, nuts and oatmeal are rich in fiber and unsaturated fatty acids, which can also help improve sleep quality.

Lack of Sleep Increases Belly Fat

Studies have found that a lack of adequate sleep can lead to a 9 percent increase in total abdominal fat and an 11 percent rise in visceral fat. Visceral fat is deposited deep in the abdomen and is intricately linked to heart and metabolic diseases.

The British Heart Foundation points out that a thick waistline indicates excess visceral fat, which may allow excess cholesterol and sugar to enter the bloodstream, increasing the risk of heart disease and diabetes. Therefore, reducing your waist size can help reduce your risk of heart disease.

Waist-to-Hip Ratio to Predict Heart Disease Risk

Research published in the Journal of the American Heart Association suggests that waist-to-hip ratio measurement may reflect heart attack risk better than body mass index (BMI).

Some people are concerned about BMI, said Liu, but may not lose much weight even after exercising for a prolonged period. Because muscle is denser and weighs more than fat, body weight alone will not provide an accurate assessment of one’s health. Instead, waist size is a better indicator.

Waist-to-hip ratio is calculated by dividing the measure of the thinnest point of the waist by the measure of the widest point of the hips. The waist-to-hip ratio for healthy men should be less than 0.9, and for women, it should be less than 0.85.

Liu recommends proper lifestyle habits to control abdominal fat, such as avoiding high-calorie and high-sugar foods, getting appropriate exercise, including sit-ups, and getting enough sleep to improve metabolism.

Can Liposuction Reduce Heart Disease Risk?

Liu said that although liposuction surgery can effectively reduce subcutaneous fat and make the body slimmer, it cannot achieve the same effect on visceral fat. Therefore, liposuction surgery does not help reduce the risk of CVD.

Compared with liposuction, weight loss surgery such as gastric reduction surgery has been proven effective in reducing visceral fat, thereby reducing the risk of heart disease.

Electromagnetic and Radiofrequency: New Technology for Fat Reduction

Changes in temperature can affect the function of intracellular proteins, said Liu. New electromagnetic and radio wave equipment has been used clinically to change the activity of fat cells through localized heating, which can stimulate fat cell metabolism, causing fat cells to break down and undergo apoptosis, thus promoting fat loss.

Such equipment can adjust localized temperature and cause oscillations in abdominal fat. If continued for a certain period, it can reduce visceral fat and promote the contraction of abdominal muscles.

Liu shared that he tried the device on himself, 30 minutes each time, once a week, and repeated the treatment 4 to 6 times. At the end of the program, he found his abdominal fat significantly reduced, his abdomen became significantly flatter, and his muscle lines gradually appeared.