Fluctuating sleep times might boost your heart attack and stroke risk
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- Reviewed by Anthony L. Komaroff, MD, Editor in Chief, Harvard Health Letter; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing
Does your sleep schedule vary throughout the week, with different bedtime and wake-up times? If so, you might be boosting your risk for a heart attack or another major cardiovascular problem, according to a study published online Nov. 27, 2024, by the Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health. The research involved more than 72,000 healthy people (ages 40 to 79) who wore sleep trackers on their wrists for a week and were then followed for about eight years. Compared with people whose sleep patterns fluctuated the least, those whose sleep patterns fluctuated the most had a 26% higher risk of having heart failure, a heart attack, a stroke, or a related problem — even if they got the recommended amount of sleep (at least seven hours per night). The study was observational and doesn't prove conclusively that irregular sleep causes cardiovascular events. However, many previous studies also have found that irregular sleep is tied to increased risks for heart disease and diabetes.
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About the Author
Heidi Godman, Executive Editor, Harvard Health Letter
About the Reviewer
Anthony L. Komaroff, MD, Editor in Chief, Harvard Health Letter; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing
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