Although it is common to assume that becoming healthier means making drastic changes, such as engaging in intense training or surviving off green juices, studies reveal that a key factor in longevity may be the time spent in the bedroom. In particular, this involves what one does in the final few minutes before going to sleep. As reported in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, a small tweak to one’s bedtime ritual may lead to greater benefits than anyone assumes.
In an age where it is fashionable to lead an extreme lifestyle, studies show that a slight modification in one’s daily routine may make a world of difference in terms of improving one’s overall cardiovascular wellbeing. Instead of changing everything at once, a person needs only to increase their sleeping time by a little to lower their risks of having heart attacks or suffering from strokes.
In order to understand how such small behaviors impact cardiovascular diseases, a study was conducted where data on health and lifestyle behaviors of over 50,000 adults in the UK were collected over an eight-year period. As noted by the authors of the study, it is one of the more detailed researches exploring the role of behaviors rather than genetic or other medical interventions in cardiovascular disease risks.
Participants in this study weren’t only asked whether they slept well or not; rather, they were rated based on their diets, physical activity level, smoking habits, and alcohol intake. The outcomes were remarkable: people who lived a healthy life had a 57% less chance of having heart attacks and strokes than those who did not follow healthy behaviors. While this result alone is enough to validate some traditional medical advice, the aspect that surprised the researchers the most was the benefit that even slight improvements might bring.
Data showed that one does not have to become a “health saint” to get a huge return of investment. Perhaps, one of the most shocking revelations was that adding 11 minutes to your sleep routine each day, along with a couple of other minor tweaks, could decrease your risk of developing heart disease by 10 percent. On the surface, 11 minutes might seem like an insignificant amount of time, considering it is hardly enough to even glance through your social media feed or catch a quick video clip online, but over weeks, months, and years, this slight increase in rest contributes to meaningful physiological improvements.
Why such a small amount of time could matter? As the experts believe, the thing is that this particular time should be consistent rather than intense. It is important not to totally change your way of life at once but to introduce some new habits which you will be able to follow. At the same time, it should be mentioned that a drastic change is quite hard to implement and maintain for a long time.
This was explained by Nicholas Koemel, the author of the study. He stressed that the cumulative influence of small changes can significantly improve people’s cardiovascular health. Instead of changing only one habit (for example, doing more physical exercises), it is better to introduce several new habits to different spheres of life.
Even a few extra minutes of sleep may be enough for regulating blood pressure and helping to minimize the stress hormones, which are present in our bodies due to the fight or flight response. Lack of sleep leads to higher production of cortisol, causing inflammation and stiffening of the arteries. Thus, by sleeping a bit longer, we allow our body to regain balance in its functioning.
The significance of sleep has been well understood in recent years. Previously, it was viewed as a factor inferior to diet and exercise; however, it is now established as an essential component of well-being. The American Heart Association has declared that sleep time is now part of their “Life’s Essential 8” criteria for measuring cardiovascular health. Adults should get 7 to 9 hours of sleep daily to ensure that their hearts remain in optimal shape.
As suggested by the AHA, failure to achieve the recommended number of hours of sleep increases the likelihood of suffering from hypertension, obesity, diabetes, and heart diseases. Sleep helps regulate numerous biological functions in the human body, such as metabolism and hormone secretion. Therefore, when these processes are not regulated correctly due to insufficient sleep, it creates a “perfect storm” for developing chronic conditions.
This notion is supported by a research conducted in 2019 and published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, which states that people who had healthy sleeping habits were at a much lower risk of suffering from any cardiovascular disease. These scientists discovered some specific behaviors related to good sleeping practices, such as having a regular sleep pattern and never experiencing insomnia. It proves that sleep plays an essential role not only in recovery but also in disease prevention.
