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A lie-in is what many of us rely on to make it through the stresses of a working week.
Individuals can now certainly enjoy a guilt-free weekend thanks to the finding that a well-timed era of rest may significantly lessen one’s likelihood of encountering a potentially fatal heart attack or stroke.
Research has discovered that individuals who adjust their sleep patterns on weekends to “make up” for a lack of rest during the week may experience a 20% reduction in the likelihood of developing heart disease.
It is anticipated that the new study will, once and for all, determine whether more sleep has a positive or negative impact overall.
A team of researchers conducted a study utilising data from over 90,000 individuals in the UK to investigate the connection between excessive weekend sleep and the risk of heart disease.
Investigations were conducted to identify the link between sleep patterns and long-term health outcomes, utilizing data from accelerometers that monitored sleep activity over approximately 14 years across various participants. Subsequent to the data collection period, the gathered sleep information was cross-referenced with health records.
A total of 19,816 participants were identified as sleep-deprived, accounting for 22 percent, with most of them getting less than seven hours of sleep per night.
They experienced sleep deprivation only occasionally, yet still clocked an average of sufficient sleeping hours each night.
Using hospital records and death registry data, researchers were able to identify and diagnose patients with heart problems such as ischaemic heart disease, heart failure, atrial fibrillation, and stroke.
Individuals who achieved the most compensatory sleep – exceeding over 75 minutes – demonstrated a 19 per cent reduced likelihood of developing heart disease compared to those gaining the least sleep.
Individuals who experienced the maximum amount of compensatory sleep following daily periods of wakefulness showed a 20 per cent reduced chance of developing heart disease in comparison to those who had the minimum compensatory sleep.
The analysis, presented at the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) Congress in London, demonstrated that there were no distinctions found between men and women.
A co-author of the study, Yanjun Song from the State Key Laboratory of Infectious Diseases in Beijing, China, noted that ‘Getting sufficient sleep is associated with a reduced risk of heart disease.’
Individuals who consistently get inadequate sleep during weekdays show a more significant association with this condition.
Professional Zechen Liu, a researcher from the Beijing-based State Key Laboratory, notes, “According to our findings, individuals with the most amount of ‘catch-up’ sleep on weekends are substantially less prone to heart disease compared to those who sleep the least over the same period.”
Research indicates that while the precise mechanisms by which sleep aids the heart are unclear, data reveals a link between disrupted sleep and increased levels of CRP, a protein that is a marker for inflammation, which is a trigger for heart and circulatory disease.
Research suggests that acquiring additional sleep can enable the heart to restore itself and heal faster, as well as having a positive impact on weight regulation, blood pressure, and cholesterol levels.
Dr. James Leiper, Associate Medical Director at the British Heart Foundation, noted: “Many individuals lack sufficient sleep due to their workload or family obligations, and although a weekend sleep-in cannot fully compensate for a consistent good night’s sleep, this extensive study implies that it may still decrease the risk of heart disease.”
Full rest is crucial for our overall health, and this study highlights just how crucial it is to make sure we get at least seven hours of sleep each night.
We eagerly anticipate future investigations to gain a deeper understanding of how sleep patterns may affect cardiovascular health and how we can modify contemporary lifestyles to better promote overall well-being.
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