A study suggests that one key hour of sleep could play a vital role in lowering the risk of heart and circulatory diseases. Researchers have discovered that the timing of when you go to bed might be a significant factor in heart health.

According to findings published in the European Heart Journal, falling asleep between 10 PM and 11 PM is linked to the lowest risk of cardiovascular disease.

This conclusion was drawn after monitoring over 88,000 UK Biobank participants, aged 43 to 74, for a week and tracking their health over six years.

Participants wore wrist trackers to record their sleep patterns and completed lifestyle questionnaires before the study began. Researchers also adjusted their data to account for other existing risk factors related to heart and circulatory diseases.

Over the next six years, 3,172 participants were diagnosed with several heart and circulatory conditions. Interestingly, those who fell asleep between 10 PM and 11 PM had the lowest risk.

According to Surrey Live, going to bed later increases the risk of heart and circulatory problems. Falling asleep between 11 PM and midnight raises the risk by 12% while sleeping at midnight or later increases it by 25%.

Scientists believe that sleep timing might affect women’s heart health more than men’s. The study suggests that ‘when’ a person goes to bed could be an important but often overlooked factor in heart and circulatory health.

However, the British Heart Foundation (BHF) says more research is needed to confirm these results.

The BHF discussed the study’s findings on their website, suggesting that the link between sleep timing and heart health could be related to the body’s circadian rhythms – our internal 24-hour biological clock.

These rhythms play a key role in functions like hormone release, body temperature regulation, and sleep-wake cycles.

“Perhaps because going to sleep at the right time means you are more likely to wake up with the morning light, which could help set your body’s circadian rhythms. There is some evidence that disrupted circadian rhythms can increase your risk of heart disease and its risk factors, such as high blood pressure,” the BHF mentioned on their website.

The research doesn’t tell the whole story, but the BHF points out that many people seemed to benefit from sleeping during the “golden hour.” They believe more studies are needed to understand it better.

Regina Giblin, a senior cardiac nurse at the British Heart Foundation, shared that this study suggests the ideal bedtime for heart health might be between 10 and 11 PM.

“However, it’s important to remember that this study can only show an association and can’t prove cause and effect. More research is needed into sleep timing and duration as a risk factor for heart and circulatory diseases,” she said.

“Getting enough sleep is important for our general well-being as well as our heart and circulatory health, and most adults should aim for seven to nine hours of sleep per night.”

“But sleep isn’t the only factor that can impact heart health,” added Regina. It’s also important to look at your lifestyle as knowing your numbers such as blood pressure and cholesterol levels, maintaining a healthy weight and exercising regularly, cutting down on salt and alcohol intake, and eating a balanced diet can also help to keep your heart healthy.”

Source: The Mirror

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