Study Reveals Sleep Required For A Healthy Heart

Too little and too much both carry risk

Well, according to a recent study, it has been determined that if you don’t sleep enough and just importantly, if you sleep too much, you could be increasing your risk of cardiovascular disease or stroke.

The study which was presented at the European Society of Cardiology Congress analysed the sleeping patterns of over 1 million people and found that it was not only sleep deprivation which was detrimental to heart health, but also excessive sleeping.

The six-to-eight-hour sweet spot

The ‘sweet spot’ was established as between six to eight hours of sleep per night with those sleeping for less than six or more than eight on a regular basis increasing their risk of serious conditions such as coronary heart disease and stroke.

Researchers said that those who slept less than six hours per night had an 11% greater risk, while those who slept for more than eight hours on a regular basis a 33% greater risk.

What the experts say

Study author Dr Epameinondas Fountas of the Onassis Cardiac Surgery Centre in Athens said, "Our findings suggest that too much or too little sleep may be bad for the heart,”.

"More research is needed to clarify exactly why, but we do know that sleep influences biological processes like glucose metabolism, blood pressure, and inflammations – all of which have an impact on cardiovascular disease,".

Senior cardiac nurse Emily McGrath of the British Heart Foundation, also stressed the importance of getting a good night's sleep.

She said: "When it comes to our heart and circulatory health, this large study suggests that there may be a sweet spot between getting too much, and getting too little sleep”.

Photo by Victoria Heath on Unsplash

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Not sleeping well? Read our guide to sleep problems and sleep studies in the Health Library.