Sleep affects every part of the body, and the heart is no exception. This is especially important when you consider how heart health impacts overall wellness—and how heart disease is the leading cause of death in the country. With that in mind, researchers have continued to explore the link between sleep and heart function, emphasizing the need for better quality rest.
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Case in point: A new study confirmed that sleep plays a major role in the big picture of heart health. The observational study, which was published by the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, followed 53,242 adults and their habits for eight years. Within the study’s parameters, the researchers found that those who slept 11 extra minutes (and implemented other positive habits) had 10% fewer heart-related issues.
What do these findings mean for you, exactly? To learn more, we tapped sleep experts to break down the study, along with the most noteworthy takeaways for heart health.
What We Know About Sleep and Heart Health
“Sleep is a well-established pillar of cardiovascular health, but the relationship is nuanced,” says Saema Tahir, MD, a sleep medicine physician and pulmonologist. First, getting too little and too much sleep are both linked to worse cardiovascular outcomes, as they can lead to elevated blood pressure (i.e., hypertension), chronic inflammation, and impaired blood sugar regulation, Dr. Tahir says. All these factors can increase the risk of heart issues, including heart disease and stroke.
But the link between sleep and heart health doesn’t stop there. Poor sleep can disrupt appetite hormones and the energy needed for exercise, Dr. Tahir explains. This is key because eating habits and physical activity influence heart health, too. Similarly, long-term sleep issues can increase chronic stress—another risk factor of heart disease.
Unfortunately, despite the importance of sleep for health—cardiovascular or otherwise—most people miss the mark. The National Sleep Foundation (NSF) recommends getting seven to nine hours of sleep per night, and yet, six out of 10 adults don’t get enough.
How Getting More Sleep Can Help Your Heart
ICYMI, sleep is a crucial factor of good heart health, though it’s part of a larger “package.”
Dr. Tahir notes that the study “found that the optimal combination of eight to nine and a half hours of sleep, 40 to 105 minutes of daily moderate-to-vigorous activity, and a high-quality diet was associated with a 57% lower risk of major cardiovascular events like heart attack and stroke.” And among the group of participants, an additional 11 minutes of sleep per day (paired with an extra four and a half minutes of activity and small dietary improvements) was associated with a 10% lower cardiovascular risk, which is clinically meaningful, Dr. Tahir says. “This is significant and helps us translate a schedule or regimen we can incorporate into our overall health to see benefit,” she adds.
Because the study was observational, however, it shows an association rather than proving that changing any one behavior directly causes better heart health, points out Joseph Dzierzewski, PhD, a clinical psychologist, sleep scientist, and the senior vice president of research and scientific affairs at the National Sleep Foundation. Translation? “The 11 minutes is not a standalone magic number, but an illustration that small, concurrent changes across sleep, activity, and nutrition are feasible and can help support heart health,” Dzierzewski says. Similarly, Dr. Tahir notes that the 11 minutes of sleep didn’t work in isolation, and even subtle shifts across all three areas can yield significant cardiovascular benefits. That’s where holistic health comes into play.
To put things into perspective, if you’re chronically short on sleep, going from five hours to five hours and 11 minutes is unlikely to make a meaningful difference on its own, Dzierzewski explains. “The bigger message is that the most benefit comes from moving closer to NSF’s recommended seven to nine hours per night for most adults, while also improving activity and diet,” he says.
Essentially, when you get more sleep, you’ll support heart health by lowering sympathetic nervous system activity, helping blood pressure recover, and supporting healthier metabolic and inflammatory regulation, Dzierzewski says. “In this study, though, the lower risk likely reflects the combined pattern of slightly more sleep, more movement, and better diet quality rather than sleep alone,” he adds.
How to Get More Sleep
If you’re not already getting enough sleep, consider these tips for adding more minutes to your sleep schedule:
- Create a relaxing bedtime routine, and do your best to follow it every night
- Avoid caffeine or alcohol before bed
- Expose yourself to natural light early in the morning, which will help you feel tired at night
- Limit or avoid screens two to three hours before bed
- Aim for 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity per week
- Make sure your bedroom is cool, dark, and quiet so you can feel comfortable and relaxed
- Avoid eating foods that disrupt your sleep just before bed
