Millions struggle with not being able to sleep. There are a few things you do to help with your sleep habits – and this one could have a double positive impact.
Snuggling in bed and falling into a deep sleep is so satisfying. Nothing like waking up and feeling great…but for millions it is sometimes a nightmare. Almost 40% of adults not getting enough sleep and some 55 to 75 million Canadians and Americans have ongoing, sleep disorders. But this one positive sleep habit can be doubly good for you.
Routines are key to sleep for most people. Science says the body operates better on a schedule. So deviling habits around sleep can lead to a more successful result. Lack of sleep can not only cause including poor concentration, reduced reaction times and altered mood, but also heart issues.
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A study reported in the European Heart Journal—Digital Health, anaylized over 88,000 adults for a period of six years, trying to get an understanding of the relationship between sleep and heart health. Researchers were able to access information about the subject’s lifestyle, demographics, physical activity, and health.
After accounting for a variety of factors like lifestyle, stress, gender, and more, the study found that there was a 12% increase in heart disease amongst people who went to bed between the hours of 11 and 11:59 PM. This percentage increased to 25% when people went to bed past midnight. Women seemed to be affected more by these times when compared to men, experiencing higher risks.
Study co-author David Plans explained in a statement how circadian rhythms worked and why our bedtime could play an important part in our heart health. “While we cannot conclude causation from our study, the results suggest that early or late bedtimes may be more likely to disrupt the body clock, with adverse consequences for cardiovascular health,” he said.
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Heart disease is the leading cause of death for most people in America, thus a prominent concern for most of us. It’s influenced by internal factors like cholesterol levels and blood pressure, but also by outside forces, like smoking, and, apparently, your sleep habits.
While the results are not conclusive and don’t suggest sleeping in earlier you’ll be cutting your risk of heart disease, they do imply that there’s a connection between good sleep and heart health.
