Going to bed late has been found to increase the risk of premature cardiovascular disease by more than three times, according to researchers from Tehran University.
There are several known reasons why people have a higher risk of cardiovascular disease but now, thanks to a study of over 30,000 patients, going to bed late can be added to the list.Â
Iranian researchers explored (1) cardiovascular patients’ habits, in the rich oil producing province of Khuzestan. The investigators took information on the patients’ risk factors for cardiovascular disease, not just their sleep behaviour, but physical activity, diet and other behaviour patterns to assess potential premature CAD causes. The participants also had blood pressure, anthropometric, and serum lipid and glucose profile measurements.
The patients had all developed cardiovascular disease before 45 years of age if men, and before 55, if women.
Previous studies had shown a late bedtime was linked to an increased risk of poor quality of sleep and to heart disease risk. In this study, going to bed late was associated with more than a tripling of heart disease risk.Â
Poor sleep is dangerous – it damages your genes (2) and poor sleep affects your overall health in a number of important ways being linked to high blood pressure and even dementia..
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References
- Premature Coronary Artery Disease Is More Prevalent in People Who Go to Bed Late; Farzad Masoudkabir et al, Archives of Iranian Medicine 2021 24(12) 876-880 – http://aimjournal.ir/Article/aim-19631Â
- Lack of sleep damages genes and leads to ill health – https://www.canceractive.com/article/lack-of-sleep-damages-genes-and-leads-to-ill-health
