Sleep length linked to heart issues
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Research has identified a strong connection between irregular sleep patterns and heightened risks of major cardiovascular events, including heart attacks, strokes, and heart failure.
A paper published in the Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health says this association persists even among individuals who meet the recommended nightly sleep duration of 7 to 9 hours for adults under 65 and 7 to 8 hours for those older.
The study involved over 72,000 participants aged 40 to 79, tracked over eight years through the UK Biobank.
Each wore an activity tracker for a week to monitor sleep patterns, which were assessed using a Sleep Regularity Index (SRI).
Participants were categorised as regular, moderately irregular, or irregular sleepers based on their SRI scores.
Irregular sleepers were 26 per cent more likely to experience a major cardiovascular event compared to those with regular sleep patterns. Even those classified as moderately irregular had an 8 per cent increased risk.
Researchers noted a nearly linear relationship between sleep irregularity and cardiovascular risk, underscoring the importance of maintaining a consistent sleep-wake cycle.
While 61 per cent of regular sleepers achieved the recommended sleep duration, only 48 per cent of irregular sleepers did.
However, achieving the recommended sleep hours did not offset the increased risk for those with irregular patterns.
“Sleep regularity may be more relevant than sufficient sleep duration in modulating MACE [major adverse cardiovascular events] risk,” the researchers say.
The team suggests revising public health guidelines to account for the importance of sleep regularity in cardiovascular health.
They call for increased public awareness of the risks associated with sleep irregularity, urging its consideration in both clinical practice and health guidelines.
This is particularly relevant given the growing prevalence of lifestyle factors disrupting natural sleep patterns, such as shift work and excessive screen time.
