In a new study, researchers found people with the healthiest sleep patterns had a 42% lower risk of heart failure regardless of other risk factors compared to adults with unhealthy sleep patterns.
Healthy sleep patterns include rising in the morning, sleeping 7 to 8 hours a day, and having no insomnia, snoring, or excessive daytime sleepiness.
Heart failure affects more than 26 million people, and emerging evidence indicates sleep problems may play a role in its development.
In the study, the researchers examined the link between healthy sleep patterns and heart failure and included data on 408,802 UK Biobank participants, ages 37 to 73.
They recorded 5,221 cases of heart failure during a median follow-up of 10 years.
The team analyzed sleep quality as well as overall sleep patterns.
The measures of sleep quality included sleep duration, insomnia and snoring, and other sleep-related features, such as whether the participant was an early bird or night owl and if they had any daytime sleepiness (likely to unintentionally doze off or fall asleep during the daytime).
Researchers collected sleep behaviors using touchscreen questionnaires. They defined sleep duration in three groups: short, or less than 7 hours a day; recommended, or 7 to 8 hours a day; and prolonged, or 9 hours or more a day.
They found participants with the healthiest sleep pattern had a 42% reduction in the risk of heart failure compared to people with an unhealthy sleep pattern.
They also found the risk of heart failure was independently associated and 8% lower in early risers; 12% lower in those who slept 7 to 8 hours daily; 17% lower in those who did not have frequent insomnia; and 34% lower in those reporting no daytime sleepiness.
These findings highlight the importance of improving overall sleep patterns to help prevent heart failure.
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The study is published in the journal Circulation. One author of the study is Lu Qi.
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