Care about your heart? Try getting better sleep, new study suggests
Fox News
A new study from Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health evaluated the American Heart Association's recently expanded metric that now includes sleep as it relates to heart health.
"Our results show that sleep health is integral to heart health, and that an expanded definition of cardiovascular health that includes sleep is more predictive of future heart disease risk," lead study author Nour Makarem, PhD, an assistant professor of epidemiology at the Mailman School of Public Health at Columbia University in New York City, told Fox News Digital. "Our results highlight the importance of embracing a holistic vision of sleep health." "Sleep seems to be the first thing that people squeeze out of their schedules when they are busy. [But] the first step to healthy sleep is making time for sleep …" The study also found that 14% of the participants reported excessive daytime sleepiness — and 36% stated they had high insomnia symptoms. "Optimize your sleep environment by making your bedroom comfortable, quiet, cool and dark." "Sleep is a rejuvenating time for the heart and brain." "Insufficient sleep doesn't get the respect it deserves as a cardiovascular risk factor." Amy McGorry is a contributing health reporter for Fox News Digital. Follow her on Twitter @amymcgorry.
"Our study supports the inclusion of sleep as the novel 8th metric of cardiovascular health," Makarem also said.