A tiny change to your bedtime routine could make a huge difference to your heart health. The best part? It’s something almost anyone can do.
A new study, published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, has revealed that a simple habit, adding just a little more sleep each night, could help reduce the risk of a heart attack. Heart attacks remain one of the most serious medical emergencies, happening when blood flow to the heart is suddenly blocked.
Symptoms can include chest pain, shortness of breath, dizziness, sweating, and even pain spreading to the arms, neck, or jaw. But according to researchers, improving your sleep could be one of the easiest ways to lower your risk.
Scientists studied data from more than 50,000 adults in the UK over eight years — and what they found was striking.
The research showed that people who followed a healthy lifestyle — including good sleep, exercise, and a healthy diet — had a 57% lower risk of heart attack and stroke.
Even more surprising? Just a small tweak made a measurable difference. Adding just 11 minutes of sleep per night, along with a few other minor habits, was linked to a 10 percent reduction in cardiovascular risk. Experts say the key is not drastic life changes, but consistency.
Simple bedtime habit could reduce risks of a heart attack
“We show that combining small changes in a few areas of our lives can have a surprisingly large positive impact on our cardiovascular health, Dr Nicholas Koemel, the study’s main author, explained.
“This is very encouraging news because making a few small, combined changes is likely more achievable and sustainable for most people when compared with attempting major changes in a single behaviour,” he continued.
“Making even modest shifts in our daily routines is likely to have cardiovascular benefits as well as create opportunities for further changes in the long run. I would encourage people not to overlook the importance of making a small change or two to your daily routine, no matter how small they may seem.”
Researchers are now looking at ways to help people make these small changes stick.
11 extra minutes of sleep per day
Another expert, Professor Emmanuel Stamatakis at the University of Sydney, said, “We plan to build on these findings to develop new digital tools that support people in making positive lifestyle changes and establish sustained healthy habits.”
He added, “This will involve working closely with community members to make sure the tools are easy to use and can address the barriers we all face in making tweaks to our day-to-day routines.”
It’s not about changing your entire life overnight. Sometimes, a thing as simple as going to bed a little earlier could be a step toward protecting your heart. And in this case, just 11 extra minutes might be all it takes to start making a difference.
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