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Red flags of high cholesterol that show up during sleep and are often 'overlooked'

Football January 23, 2025 07:39 AM

While high cholesterol often doesn't have noticeable symptoms, there are some warning signs that you could experience that may have you thinking about speaking to a doctor. Particularly at night, some red flags become more apparent when we're lay still with little on our minds.

Chest pain is one of the biggest and most common problems you can face when dealing with heightened cholesterol. The sensation is due to a build-up of artery-clogging plaque that restricts blood flow to the heart and increases someone's risk of a heart attack.

Experiencing chest pain can be a scary feeling that is often easier to spot while lying down in bed.. .

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People could also suffer from dizziness when changing positions in bed if they are struggling with high cholesterol. The feeling of light-headedness is due to reduced blood flow to the brain.

A lack of blood flow through clogged arteries can also lead to feelings of restlessness, especially in your legs. You may be more prone to restless leg syndrome (RLS) in the bedroom when dealing with high cholesterol.

Research suggests a link between increased cholesterol levels and the risk of developing RLS, .

While you're lying in bed, it's also possible that you could pick up something that would otherwise go unnoticed during the daytime. Pain or cramping in the legs at night, particularly when elevating them, can indicate poor circulation due to narrowed arteries in the legs.

You could also spot that you're a little short of breath. This is, again, down to those clogged arteries forcing your heart to work harder.

. This is also down to reduced blood flow, leaving parts of your body to feel cooler than others.

The would potentially diagnose this as . This is a condition commonly linked with high cholesterol that causes a build-up of fatty deposits in the arteries.

Despite all of this, you're not going to know for certain if your cholesterol is to blame as these symptoms could also be linked to other healt problems. The only way to definitively know if you have high cholesterol is through a blood test with your doctor.