Do you think you need to overhaul your entire lifestyle to boost your heart health? Think again. A large new study found that adding just 11 minutes of sleep each night, along with small improvements in diet and exercise, was associated with a 10% lower risk of heart attacks, strokes and heart failure.
the He studiespublished in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, is the first to investigate the minimal combined improvements in sleep, physical activity and nutrition needed to significantly reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.
Big benefits from small changes
The researchers analyzed data from 53,242 adults from the UK Biobank over an eight-year period. Sleep and physical activity were tracked using wearable devices, and diet was assessed using a questionnaire that produced a diet quality score.
The results were clear. People who slept just 11 extra minutes per night, got about 4.5 extra minutes of moderate exercise each day, and ate nearly a quarter cup more vegetables per day had a 10% lower rate of cardiovascular disease over the study period.
A recipe for greater benefits
The study also identified an ideal mix of habits: sleeping 8 to 9 hours per night, getting more than 42 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity per day, and eating a high-quality diet. People with this combination were 57% less likely to develop major heart problems than those with less healthy lifestyles.
Even people with an average level of all three behaviors saw a 41% reduction in their risk of major cardiovascular disease.
Why is sleep so important?
Along with nutrition and exercise, sleep is one of the three pillars of a healthy lifestyle. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine recommends that adults get it 7 or more hours of sleep per night For perfect health.
The results of this study suggest that the sweet spot for heart health may be higher — about 8 to 9.4 hours per night.
In a press release“We’ve shown that combining small changes in just a few areas of our lives can have a surprisingly large positive impact on our cardiovascular health,” says Dr Nicholas Quimel, lead author and research fellow at the University of Sydney. Making a few small, aggregated changes “is likely to be more achievable and sustainable for most people than trying to make large changes in a single behavior.”
These habits are more connected than you think
Lack of sleep disrupts the normal transmission of appetite hormones, which may make you eat more and choose less healthy foods. Feeling exhausted from lack of sleep can sap your motivation to be physically active.
On the other hand, regular physical activity may improve sleep quality, and a nutritious diet supports better sleep and the energy needed to exercise. Since these behaviors influence each other, improving these three behaviors can lead to greater benefit for your heart.
Some caveats
This was an observational study, so it cannot prove that these lifestyle changes directly caused the reduced risk. The researchers point out that intervention trials are needed to fully confirm the results. The data came from a UK Biobank substudy of 502,629 adults aged 40–69 years, recruited between 2006 and 2010.
Bottom line?
You don’t need to radically overhaul your life to protect your heart.
“Making modest shifts in our daily routine is likely to have cardiovascular benefits, as well as creating opportunities for more changes in the long term,” Dr. Kumail said in the press release for this study.
Small changes — like going to bed a few minutes earlier, taking a short walk during the day, or adding an extra serving of vegetables to your meals — really add up. So, tonight, try to come back a little early. Your heart may thank you for those extra 11 minutes of sleep.
Medical review by Helena Schotland, MD
