As night time approaches, we should ideally be winding down to go to sleep. However, many people binge on TV shows or scroll through social media, which often keeps them up way past midnight. So, what is a decent time to hit the hay? A British study published by the European Heart Journal has actually identified an optimal hour, a time that could also lower the risk of heart disease. Feeling sleepy?
A major study
The study, which was carried out in the UK, drew on data collected from 88,000 adults, who wore devices on their wrists to gather the information.
Several assessments
Participants also completed demographic, lifestyle, health, and physical assessments.
Why you should always go to bed at this time
Researchers then tracked the participants over a 5.7-year period for diagnosis of any cardiovascular disorders such as heart attack, heart failure, chronic ischemic heart disease, stroke, and transient ischemic attack.
The ideal bedtime
According to results, falling asleep between 10 pm and 11 pm is the best time to do so in order to maintain heart health.
The importance of proper bedtime
While those who fell asleep between 10 pm and 10:59 pm were less likely to fall victim to cardiovascular disease, 3% of study subjects whose bedtime fell at midnight or later were ultimately diagnosed with a heart condition.
Other statistics
Compared to those who went to sleep at the ideal hour, there was a 25% higher risk of cardiovascular disease among those who fell asleep at midnight or later.
Risk with later hours
However, those who began sleeping between 11pm and 11:59 pm were at a 12% greater risk of cardiovascular disease.
Also a risk with early sleepers
Early sleepers, too, were found to be at risk. Those who fell asleep before 10 pm were at a 24% increased risk of suffering cardiovascular disease.
