More than 3,000 adults were followed over approximately 10 years. Timing of sleep will be as important as the number of hours.
One conducted by the University of Oulu concluded that sleep at different times throughout the week can significantly increase the risk of serious cardiovascular problemssuch as heart attacks and cerebrovascular accidents (CVA).
The investigation followed more than 3,200 adults Finns for about a decade and suggests that the Sleep regularity may be as important as the number of hours slept.
The researchers analyzed the sleeping habits of participants born in 1966, using monitoring devices worn for a week when the volunteers were around 46 years old.
Subsequently, the data was cross-referenced with medical records over more than ten years.
The results revealed that people with very irregular bedtimes and those who slept less than eight hours a night had up to twice the risk to suffer cardiac events graves.
According to scientists, the biggest concern is not only the duration of rest, but above all the instability sleep schedule, which interferes with the circadian rhythm — the biological clock responsible for regulating the body’s essential functions.
Interestingly, adds , the irregularity when waking up did not show the same association with heart problems.
Experts argue that maintaining a consistent sleep routine can be a simple, affordable and effective measure to protect cardiovascular health. The research further reinforces previous evidence that unregulated sleep habits can affect blood pressure, metabolism and inflammation levels in the body.
