What is the best time to sleep and stay healthy according to science?

We know that quality sleep helps you stay healthy. But different studies do not always provide accurate results regarding sleep time to respect. Current research is often conducted using questionnaires that patients must complete, and thus on scales that are too subjective to have any real scientific value.

A recent study was published On the Oxford Academic website, conducted by the European Society of Cardiology, has just tested 103,712 participants. Each patient was fitted with a device called an accelerometer, a system based on the same principle as a connected clock. The results finally showed an ideal bedtime to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease!

Study basics

David plans, lead author of the study and a researcher at the University of Exeter, UK, explains that the human body has an internal 24-hour clock, also known as the circadian rhythm. It helps regulate our physical and mental functions.

Even if the results do not allow us to establish a causal relationship between bed time and cardiovascular risks, they make it possible to assert that bedtime too early or too late disrupts the circadian rhythm. Thus, it can lead to negative health consequences, especially on our cardiovascular system. Researchers estimate that bedtime should be between 10 pm and 11 pm. To respect our internal clock, and also note thatThe large gap may have more consequences for women than for men.

How was this study carried out?

Participants were recruited between 2006 and 2010 via the UK Biobank database. This database aims to analyze the contributions of genetics and environment to behavioral and health issues. In this study, patients ranged in age from 43 to 79 years, with a mean age of 61 years. The committee was made up of 58% women and 42% men.

The accelerometer on their wrist analyzed their sleep schedules for a week. Participants were also asked to identify certain elements of their lifestyle, such as exercising a Physical activity and their health in general. After this week of testing, the patients had close cardiac follow-up for nearly six years.

Results

3,172 participants, or 3.6% of the sample, developed cardiovascular disease during the six years. between them, The incidence was highest in patients who slept around midnight or later. The lowest incidence was seen in people who slept between 10 p.m. and 10:59 p.m. To achieve these results, the researchers combined sleep flow hours Cardiovascular events that have occurred. Of course, external factors such as obesity, smoking or cholesterol were taken into account when analyzing the results.

The results claim that if we go to bed in the middle of the night or later, the risk of cardiovascular disease increases by 25%.. But it’s still 24% higher with bedtime before 10pm! We define it again, especially among the participants. On the other hand, In people who sleep between 10 pm and 11 pm, the risk of cardiovascular disease drops to 12%.

Researchers don’t think they’ve revealed the whole truth about a specific hour of sleep. They also specify that even by respecting this bedtime schedule, this does not reduce the risk to zero, but that having a regular bedtime and instead between 10pm and 11pm can help. reduce risk for the development of cardiovascular disease. And it doesn’t cost much to try and fix your bedtime in this convenient spot.