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Researchers have found that adhering to healthy sleep practices among midlife and older adults may offer protection against cardiovascular disease, according to findings from the Dongfeng-Tongji cohort study conducted in Shiyan, China.

The research, spanning a decade from 2008 to 2018, analyzed data from 15,306 participants with an average age of 66, comprising 58% females and 42% males. Of this cohort, 5,474 individuals maintained persistently unfavorable sleep patterns, while 3,946 participants upheld favorable sleep habits.

Over the nearly five-year follow-up period, the study published in JAMA Network Open, documented 3,669 cases of cardiovascular disease, encompassing 2,986 instances of coronary heart disease and 683 incidents of stroke.

Notably, people with persistent favorable sleep patterns exhibited a significantly reduced risk of developing new-onset cardiovascular disease, coronary heart disease, and stroke compared to those with persistently unfavorable sleep patterns.

The study also found that genetic predisposition to cardiovascular disease did not alter these associations. However, the joint impact of sleep pattern changes and genetic risk demonstrated a dose-dependent correlation with the risk of coronary heart disease and stroke.

Assessment of sleep patterns, including bedtime, sleep duration, sleep quality, midday napping, alongside polygenic risk scores for coronary heart disease and stroke, informed the study's five-year sleep pattern classifications.

Participants provided comprehensive sleep data during baseline and follow-up surveys, with prospective evaluation conducted among subjects free of cardiovascular disease or cancer.

The authors stressed the significance of identifying modifiable risk factors for cardiovascular disease prevention amidst its escalating global burden.

Chelsey Borson, a sleep expert and the founder of Luna Leaps, a baby sleep consulting service, shared insights with Medical News Today regarding the profound impact of sleep on heart health.

"The link between adequate sleep and heart health is increasingly recognized as vital. Sleep serves as a period of recovery and repair for the heart, reducing stress and inflammation, major risk factors for heart disease," Borson explained.

"It's not an entirely new idea, but the depth of understanding has deepened significantly in recent years as research has advanced."

Borson cited studies indicating that people receiving less than seven hours of sleep per night are prone to elevated risks of cardiovascular ailments such as hypertension, coronary artery disease and myocardial infarction.

She emphasized how these findings demonstrate the pivotal role of sleep in regulating blood pressure, heart rate and overall cardiovascular stability.