Study Reveals Best Time to Sleep for Heart Health
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19 January 2023 23:55 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Bedtime is linked with heart health, especially for women, according to a study published in the European Heart Journal - Digital Health in November 2021.
In the study which focuses on the best sleep onset timing for cardiovascular health, researchers examined 88,026 participants recruited between 2006-2010. Their average age was 61 years ranging from 43 to 79 years, and most of them, or about 58 percent, were women.
The participants’ data on sleep and wake times were tracked for seven days. Then they underwent diagnosis of cardiovascular diseases, such as heart attack, heart failure, chronic ischemic heart disease, stroke, and transient ischemic attack.
The researchers followed up with the participants after an average of 5.7 years. It was found that 3.6 percent of them or 3,172 people developed cardiovascular disease.
The incidence of cardiovascular disease was highest in those who sleep at midnight or later as they had a 25 percent higher risk of cardiovascular disease than those with a bedtime between 10:00 pm and 10:59 pm.
Additionally, participants who dozed off between 11:00 and 11:59 pm had a 12 percent higher risk and those who slept before 10 pm had a 24 percent higher risk.
The researchers also found that the link was stronger among women albeit the reasons were unclear.
Sleeping at Midnight May be Harmful to Heart Health
Dr. David Plans, one of the researchers and a lecturer at the University of Exeter, UK, revealed why going to bed at midnight or later increased the risk of cardiovascular disease.
“Our study indicates that the optimum time to go to sleep is at a specific point in the body’s 24-hour cycle and deviations may be detrimental to health. The riskiest time was after midnight, potentially because it may reduce the likelihood of seeing morning light, which resets the body clock,” he explained.
Sleep deprivation is a common issue but is often overlooked. A literature review published in the Current Cardiology Reviews highlighted that a sufficient sleep period may be vital for preventing cardiovascular disease.
It was also confirmed that sleep loss was directly linked with hypertension, coronary heart disease, diabetes mellitus, or impaired glucose tolerance.
“Sleep deprivation also increases sympathetic nervous system activity, heart rate, and vasoconstriction, as well as salt retention. These factors may be associated with hypertension caused by cardiac overdrive and volume overload,” the study reported.
HATTA MUARABAGJA
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