Irregular Sleep Patterns Linked to 26% Increased Risk of Heart Emergencies, Says Study

How Sticking to a Good Sleep Pattern Can Save Your Heart: New Research Reveals Shocking Risk

We all know that sleeping 7 to 9 hours during the night is the secret to good health—but a groundbreaking new study says how frequently you sleep may be more crucial than how long you sleep. Unpredictable sleeping patterns increase your risk of life-threatening heart disease by 26%, even among individuals who are sleeping the right number of hours, according to a new study in the Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health.

The study, led by Jean-Philippe Chaput, a researcher with Canada's Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute, focuses on the importance of consistency, not quantity, of sleep on heart health.

The Study in Brief

Subjects: Over 72,000 people in the UK Biobank health database

Procedure: Participants were asked to wear activity trackers for 7 days to capture sleep patterns

Measure: Scientists calculated a "sleep regularity score" for each participant

Conclusion: Those with extremely irregular sleep patterns were 26% more likely to have severe cardiovascular events including heart attacks and strokes

Irregular Sleep: An Insidious Threat to Your Heart

The researchers found that individuals who had significantly varying bedtimes and wake-up times on a daily basis were far more likely to have major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE)—even if they slept the normal amount of sleep.

"Sleep regularity might be a more significant factor than sufficient sleep duration in regulating MACE risk," Chaput and his team wrote.

This finding flips on its head a decades-old belief that getting enough sleep is enough. Instead, having a consistent sleep-wake cycle—slept and waking up at the same time every day—may be even more crucial to keeping your cardiovascular system in good health.

Regular Sleep Helps You Sleep Better Too

Interestingly, the study also found that 61% of the people with normal sleep patterns reported that they were sleeping the complete 7–9 hours, while only 48% of people with irregular sleep were.

What this suggests is that having a normal sleep pattern is healthy not only for the heart—it can better your overall sleep.

Researchers think sleeping irregularly can have a negative effect on several of the body's essential functions that affect cardiovascular health. Messing with the body's internal clock—also referred to as your circadian rhythm—can:

• Raise blood pressure
• Activate stress hormone release
• Produce blood sugar fluctuations
• Disrupt cholesterol metabolism

Compromise immune system function and inflammation regulation

Eventually, these perturbations can heighten your risk for developing hypertension, heart disease, and metabolic disorders like diabetes.

Sleep: Now an Integral Part of Heart Health Guidelines

This study adds more momentum to a widespread public health movement: sleep is now known to be essential to heart health. In fact, the American Heart Association just updated its "Life's Essential 8" framework for cardiovascular health to add duration of sleep as a key measure—along with other measures like diet, exercise, and cholesterol.

Bottom Line: Prioritize Sleep Consistency

If you want a healthier heart, don't just aim for enough sleep—aim for consistent sleep. Sleeping and waking up at the same time every day may reduce your risk of significant cardiovascular events like heart attacks and strokes.

With even 8 hours of sleep, inconsistent sleep habits can still jeopardize your heart.

Easy Ways to Promote Sleep Regularity

• Create a consistent bedtime and wake time—even on weekends
• Avoid caffeine and electronic screens before bed
• Create a relaxing bedtime routine
• Keep your bedroom cool, quiet, and dark
• Take short naps less than 30 minutes and no snoozing late in the day

Conclusion

This new study highlights the more and more accepted reality that sleep quality and consistency matter just as much as quantity. If you've been minimizing the importance of your sleeping patterns, now is the time to turn things around.

A more regular sleep schedule may be one of the simplest but most potent lifestyle changes you can make to protect your heart—and maybe even live longer.".