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Sticking to a regular sleep schedule is easier said than done for most people.
Between late nights on our phones and unpredictable work schedules, a consistent bedtime often ends up being the first thing to slip.
It's also worth remembering that persistent sleep problems can sometimes point to deeper underlying issues, so if you find yourself regularly struggling to get a decent night's rest, it's worth paying attention to.
But a new study, as shared by Science Alert, has revealed a simple habit that can do wonders for your heart health and it has nothing to do with how long you sleep or how deeply.
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Researchers from the University of Oulu in Finland tracked the sleep behaviour of 3,231 people aged 46, using wearable devices over the course of a week.
Participants were divided into three groups based on the consistency of their bedtimes including regular, fairly regular, and irregular.
Those in the irregular group, whose bedtimes shifted from night to night, showed double the risk of suffering a heart attack or a stroke over the following decade, compared to those who kept to a consistent schedule.
Furthermore, greater variability in the sleep midpoint (the halfway point between bedtime and waking) was also linked to worse heart health.
"Our findings suggest that the regularity of bedtime, in particular, may be important for heart health," says medical researcher Laura Nauha. "It reflects the rhythms of everyday life – and how much they fluctuate."
Interestingly, wake-up times didn't appear to have the same effect. The connection was specifically tied to inconsistent bedtimes. In the irregular group, bedtimes varied by an average of 108 minutes across the week, while the regular group varied by just 33 minutes.
"Previous research has linked irregular sleep patterns to heart health risks, but this is the first time we've looked separately at variability in bedtime, wake-up time, and the midpoint of the sleep period – and their independent associations with major cardiac events," added Nauha.
According to the scientists, our circadian rhythms are likely to be disrupted by changing bedtimes. This, in turn, means the heart doesn't get the consistent rest and recovery periods it needs.
Moreover, our lifestyle can affect our heart health.
Heavy workloads, mental health struggles and unpredictable schedules can throw bedtimes off course and are often the same ones that take a toll on heart health independently, the team noted.
That said, there are some points to bear in mind. Of the 3,231 participants, 128 experienced a major cardiac event over the 10-year follow-up period, which is a relatively small number in the context of the research.
Sleep was also only tracked for seven days, meaning the habits recorded may not fully reflect each participant's long-term routine.
Given that sleep is one of the few health factors we can have some degree of control over, the researchers hope to explore the link further. And with cardiovascular disease still the leading cause of death globally, the case for understanding and preventing it better has never been more urgent.
"Maintaining a regular sleep schedule is one factor that most of us can influence," Nauha concluded.
