Experts claim there's a 'golden hour' for when you should sleep that could make you live longer
Niamh Shackleton
Featured Image Credit: Getty Stock
There's a 'golden hour' you should be falling asleep in that could improve your health.
We all know that sleep plays a huge part in our health, and if we're not getting enough shut-eye then it can negatively impact us in a lot of ways.
For example, having just six hours a night can have some pretty shocking effects on a person, as demonstrated by a very tired and haggard looking 3D model.
But away from how much sleep you're getting, there's an apparent 'sweet spot' for when you should be falling asleep.
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This theory was investigated by the British Heart Foundation following a study published in the European Heart Journal in 2021.
88,000 UK Biobank participants aged 43-74 were monitored over a seven-day period.
They wore a wrist monitor which recorded the time they fell asleep and woke up, and also did a questionnaire about their lifestyle habits.
Over the next six years, 3,172 of them developed heart and circulatory disease.
From this, it was concluded that those who typically fell asleep between 10.00pm and 11.00pm had the lowest risk of heart and circulatory disease.
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Meanwhile, those who drifted off between 11.00pm and midnight had a 12 percent greater risk of developing heart and circulatory diseases.
This percentage more than doubled for people who typically went to sleep after midnight.
Regina Giblin, Senior Cardiac Nurse at the British Heart Foundation, has since shared her thoughts on the study and doubled down on the importance of getting a good night's rest whatever time you decide to retire to your bed.
"This large study suggests that going to sleep between 10 and 11pm could be the sweet spot for most people to keep their heart healthy long-term," she said.
"However, it’s important to remember that this study can only show an association and can’t prove cause and effect. More research is needed into sleep timing and duration as a risk factor for heart and circulatory diseases."
Giblin continued: "Getting enough sleep is important for our general wellbeing as well as our heart and circulatory health, and most adults should aim for seven to nine hours of sleep per night.
"But sleep isn’t the only factor that can impact heart health. It’s also important to look at your lifestyle as knowing your numbers such as blood pressure and cholesterol levels, maintaining a healthy weight and exercising regularly, cutting down on salt and alcohol intake, and eating a balanced diet can also help to keep your heart healthy."