Irregular sleep patterns can increase chances of heart attack, stroke

A new study shows that people with irregular sleeping patterns can have an increased risk of a heart attack or stroke.

The study's results, published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, show that people who sleep and wake up at extremely varied times daily have a 26% increased risk of a major heart-related health condition. 

The researchers also found that the risk remains whether these people get the recommended seven to nine hours of sleep at night, according to UPI.

"Our results suggest that sleep regularity may be more relevant than sufficient sleep duration in modulating MACE [major adverse cardiovascular event] risk," concluded the research team led by Jean-Philippe Chaput.

Researchers analysed data on more than 72,000 people taking part in the UK Biobank. They wore a tracker for seven days to record their sleep patterns and based on the data provided from the trackers, researchers calculated a score of their sleep regularity. 

Researchers found that the worse a person’s sleep regularity turned out to be, the higher their risk of a life-threatening heart problem. 

Further analysis of the data revealed that getting enough sleep could lessen the heart health risks of people with irregular sleep patterns. Still, the risk posed by these sleeping patterns remained significant irrespective of how much sleep a person gets. 

"These disturbances contribute to a cascade of adverse effects, including increased stress hormone release, elevated blood pressure, impaired endothelial function, and a greater risk of developing cardiovascular disease and metabolic disorders," the researchers wrote.

"It is worth noting that the American Heart Association's construct of cardiovascular health, called Life's Essential 8, now includes sleep duration as one of the metrics," the team concluded in its paper. "The addition of sleep to this construct is certainly good news and recognises the importance of sleep in cardiovascular health."