Inconsistent sleep routines can increase risk of heart disease and stroke Experts Warn

When it comes to maintaining heart health, most people focus on factors like diet and exercise. However, a crucial aspect that’s often overlooked is the quality of sleep.

People have different nightly routines, and for many of us, they include things like scrolling through TikTok videos or Instagram reels. For others, it might involve reading, watching reality TV shows like Real Housewives, saying a prayer, or enjoying a hot shower before bed. However, not all bedtime habits are beneficial for your health. Recent studies have shown that the nightly glass of wine, once seen as a relaxing ritual, may actually be bad for you, though it's not the worst for your heart. In fact, cardiologists have pointed to one specific nighttime habit that you should definitely avoid, Caliber.Az reports via foreign media. 

According to a recent study, maintaining a consistent sleep routine can significantly reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke—even for those with a genetic predisposition to these conditions. Dr. Xiaomin Zhang, the study's lead author, and his team followed over 15,000 retired individuals in China, all averaging 66 years of age and free from heart disease or cancer at the study's start. Five years later, those who reported consistent sleep patterns had a 16 per cent lower risk of coronary heart disease and a 34 per cent lower risk of stroke.

The benefits were even more pronounced for those without a genetic predisposition: these participants saw a 35 per cent lower risk of coronary heart disease and a 52 per cent lower risk of stroke.  On the other hand, an inconsistent sleep routine can disrupt your circadian rhythm—the body’s internal clock—and make it harder to get quality rest. Irregular sleep patterns can elevate the risk of heart problems and exacerbate existing conditions. This is because sleep plays a crucial role in regulating various aspects of cardiovascular health and overall well-being.

"Not getting enough sleep or lacking a regular sleep routine disrupts the body’s circadian rhythm, which raises stress hormone levels, blood pressure, and resting heart rates, all of which place additional strain on the cardiovascular system," explains Dr. Sam Setareh, MD, MS, FACC, the director of clinical cardiology at Beverly Hills Cardiovascular.  Over time, this disruption can lead to an increased risk of hypertension (high blood pressure) and inflammation, he continues, both of which force the heart to work harder and may result in long-term damage. Inconsistent sleep can also contribute to issues with glucose regulation and stability of heart rhythms. 

"People who experience irregular or poor-quality sleep are particularly at risk for developing atrial fibrillation (AF), a common and potentially dangerous irregular heart rhythm," says Dr. Setareh. AF can heighten the chances of stroke and heart failure, he adds. 

Dr. Setareh also highlights the connection between obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and its impact on cardiovascular health. OSA is a widespread sleep disorder in which a person’s breathing repeatedly stops and starts during sleep. Symptoms can include snoring, waking up gasping for air, or experiencing excessive daytime sleepiness.

By Naila Huseynova