Catching some z’s on the weekend can lower heart disease risk
Investigators have assessed whether catching up on sleep during the weekend can reduce the risk of developing cardiovascular disease among those with weekday sleep deficits. The findings were presented at the European Society of Cardiology Congress 2024.
In a study, the investigators used UK Biobank data to evaluate the outcomes — including ischemic heart disease, heart failure, atrial fibrillation and stroke — of more than 90,000 individuals, according to a news release from the European Society of Cardiology. They divided the participants into groups based on their level of compensatory weekend sleep. Sleep deprivation was defined as achieving less than seven hours of sleep per night.
The investigators found that the participants who had the highest levels of compensatory weekend sleep had a 19% lower risk of developing cardiovascular disease compared with those who had the lowest levels of compensatory weekend sleep.
The findings indicated that clinicians should consider discussing sleep habits with their patients, especially those at risk of developing cardiovascular disease. Further research may be needed to determine the optimal amount of compensatory weekend sleep.
Read more: ESC Congress 2024
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