Lifestyle has a huge impact on heart health, including eating a nutritious diet, getting regular exercise and staying at a healthy weight.
It means the decisions you make during your waking hours can affect the biological pump keeping you alive.
But what happens the rest of the day also matters — nighttime is important for your heart, too.
Cardiologist Tip of the Day: Get Enough Sleep for Heart Health
Getting seven to nine hours of sleep every day for adults is “crucial” for heart health and overall wellbeing, Dr. Jennifer Haythe, a cardiologist at Columbia Women’s Heart Center in New York, told TODAY.
“We’ve realized as a community of doctors and scientists that it’s really important to have relaxation as part of your overall wellness,” she noted.
Why It Matters
The American Heart Association includes sleep duration as part of its “Life’s Essential 8” cardiovascular health checklist.
When the TODAY co-hosts asked Haythe about the connection between sleep and heart health, she called it a great question.
“I don’t think we fully understand sleep — it’s a strange phenomenon if you think about it,” the cardiologist said.
“But we think it’s restorative. We know that when you’re asleep, your heart rate slows down, your blood pressure comes down, and that’s a large chunk of time for your body to be in a relaxation mode.”
This has a positive impact on high blood pressure, diabetes and obesity, she added.
Getting enough healthy sleep also leads to improved mood, a stronger immune system and the repairing of cells, tissues and blood vessels, according to the AHA.
Meanwhile, chronic sleep loss can increase inflammation, which is linked to heart disease, a study found. Sleep disorders are also linked to a higher risk of heart problems, the AHA warns.
How to Get Started
The vast majority of adults need a “solid seven to nine hours” of sleep per night, Haythe said.
If they can’t slumber that long in one session, they can make up for it with naps — “I love a nap,” she added.
Children need to sleep for longer: 10 to 16 hours for kids 5 years old and younger; nine to 12 hours for ages 6 to 12 years; and eight to 10 hours for older teens, the American Heart Association advises.
Check out TODAY.com’s tips for how to get a better night’s sleep, including eating fruits with melatonin, the habits a sleep expert avoids and the best time of day to take a nap.
TODAY’s Expert Tip of the Day series is all about simple strategies to make life a little easier. Every Monday through Friday, different qualified experts share their best advice on diet, fitness, heart health, mental wellness and more.