Going to bed between 10pm and 11pm may decrease your risk of developing heart disease, new research suggests.
The study found that those who go to sleep after midnight had a 25% higher risk of developing cardiovascular disease.
The study, conducted by Dr David Plans at the University of Exeter, surveyed over 88,000 adults in the UK between 2006 and 2010.
The study also found there was a 12% greater risk for those who went to sleep between 11pm and 11.59pm, but that those who went to sleep before 10pm also had an increased risk.
Those who went to sleep before 10pm had a 24% higher risk of cardiovascular illness.
Dr Plans, the study’s author said: “While we cannot conclude causation from our study, the results suggest that early or late bedtimes may be more likely to disrupt the body clock, with adverse consequences for cardiovascular health.”
The participants of the study wore a device on their wrist that recorded sleep times and wake up times over seven days.
3,172 of the participants (3.6%) developed heart disease during an average follow-up of 5.7 years according to the study which was published in the European Heart Journal – Digital Health, a journal of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC).
“Our study indicates that the optimum time to go to sleep is at a specific point in the body’s 24-hour cycle and deviations may be detrimental to health,” said Dr Plans.
“The riskiest time was after midnight, potentially because it may reduce the likelihood of seeing morning light, which resets the body clock.”
