RRI.CO.ID. Jakarta - We already know how important it is to get seven to eight hours of sleep each night to lower the risk of cardiovascular disease. A study published in the journal BMC Cardiovascular Disorders on March 24 highlighted another sleep habit that benefits the heart.

Researchers from the University of Oulu in Finland examined how irregular bedtimes affect heart health, regardless of the total time spent in bed.

As quoted by Madame Le Figaro, to do this, they conducted an observational study of based on research on 3231 Finnish respondents born in 1966. Participants wore wrist sensors that objectively measured the variability in their bedtimes.

They were also monitored for ten years to track major cardiovascular events, such as heart attacks and strokes, as well as deaths related to cardiovascular disease. The researchers divided participants into two groups.

One group included people who slept an average of more than eight hours per night, and the other group included those who slept less than that. The most striking results appeared in the second group. Among participants who got less sleep, those with very irregular bedtimes had twice the risk of experiencing a major cardiovascular event compared to those with consistent bedtimes.

However, varied wake-up times were not linked to a significant increase in risk.

“These results underscore the importance of regular sleep, particularly a stable bedtime, as a key lever for improving health,” the study authors concluded. Good health depends heavily on a well-synchronized biological clock. “This internal rhythm, called the circadian rhythm, coordinates essential functions such as sleep, metabolism, hormone production, mood, and immunity,” Dr. Faïza Bossy explained in a previous article.

Going to bed at different times each night risks disrupting this internal clock and preventing it from performing its role in the body. In the long term, that disruption can put extra strain on the heart.

Irregular sleep patterns interfere with the body’s natural rhythms, which may contribute to higher blood pressure, inflammation, and other factors that damage cardiovascular health over time. Maintaining a consistent bedtime helps keep the circadian system aligned, allowing the body to recover and regulate itself properly each night.

This is not the first time scientists have linked good sleep quality to cardiovascular health. In January 2023, a study by researchers at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Centre in Boston found a connection between good sleep habits and longer life expectancy.

Their findings showed that life expectancy depends on meeting five specific criteria: sleeping between seven and eight hours per night, not experiencing insomnia more than twice a week, not having trouble falling asleep more than twice a week, not using sleeping pills, and feeling refreshed upon waking at least five days a week.

Together, these studies reinforce a clear message. Total sleep duration matters, but so does consistency. Going to bed at the same time each night may be just as important for protecting your heart as getting enough hours of sleep.

Source : Madame le Figaro