Study shows poor sleep routine leads to heart problems

Going to bed at different times every night may be harmful to your heart and brain, even if you sleep enough hours.

A new study shows that irregular bedtimes can increase the risk of serious health problems like heart attacks and strokes.

Researchers from the University of Oulu in Finland found that people who do not sleep at the same time each night are up to twice as likely to have heart-related issues. The risk is even higher for those who sleep less than eight hours.

The study, published in BMC Cardiovascular Disorders, followed over 3,000 people in Finland for more than 10 years. Scientists tracked their sleep patterns and later checked their health records.

Interestingly, waking up at different times did not have the same effect. The main problem was going to bed at inconsistent times.

Experts say this happens because the body depends on a regular daily rhythm. When you sleep at different times, it can disturb your body’s internal clock, which controls things like hormones, blood pressure, and heart function.

One of the researchers, Laura Nauha, explained that keeping a regular bedtime is a simple way to protect your heart.

Sleeping less than eight hours makes things worse because the body misses both enough rest and a stable routine.

Although the study does not prove that irregular sleep directly causes heart problems, the findings support what scientists already know about how the body works: a regular sleep schedule is important for good health.