The Worst Sleep Pattern For Heart Health In Midlife

Sleep is surprisingly consequential for your heart health. One study found that 11 minutes more sleep each night is linked to a lower risk of heart attack, while other research suggested that a 10-11pm bedtime is linked to a lower risk of heart issues.

And now a new paper has said that how you sleep in your 40s may be especially important, too.

The researchers noticed “an association between the variability in bedtime and sleep midpoint and cardiovascular risk”, meaning that a person’s sleeping pattern might influence their heart health.

The study looked at 3,231 individuals born in Northern Finland in 1966. A week of their sleep was recorded when they were aged 46 using activity monitors.

Then, their healthcare outcomes were followed for over a decade.

Researchers found that inconsistent bedtimes and a greater variability in sleep timing were linked to a higher risk of heart health events like a heart attack, especially among people who got less than eight hours of sleep.

In fact, among those who both didn’t get eight hours’ sleep and had chaotic sleeping patterns, heart attack risk almost doubled.

But there was one caveat: irregular wake-up times weren’t linked to a greater risk of major cardiovascular events, like heart attacks, myocardial infarction or cerebral infarction.

Study author Laura Nauha said: “Previous research has linked irregular sleep patterns to heart health risks, but this is the first time we’ve looked separately at variability in bedtime, wake-up time and the midpoint of the sleep period – and their independent associations with major cardiac events.

“Our findings suggest that the regularity of bedtime, in particular, may be important for heart health. It reflects the rhythms of everyday life.”

Thankfully, maintaining a regular sleep schedule “is one factor that most of us can influence,” said Nauha.

Though this study only showed a link and not a cause, there are some simple ways to help improve your sleep-wake schedule.

Falling asleep at the same time every night helps, as does getting some morning sunlight.

Avoiding caffeine after 2pm, sticking to a consistent wind-down routine, and exercising in the day can help too.