Latest news with #Circulation:CardiovascularQualityandOutcomes
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
This Simple Lifestyle Change Could Help Lower Your Heart Attack Risk by Up to 61%, New Study Says
Reviewed by Dietitian Alyssa Pike, RDNA new study focuses on former emergency room (ER) patients with symptoms like chest pain. After leaving the ER, sedentary behavior was linked with a higher risk of cardiac events. But replacing sedentary behavior with sleep or exercise reduced the research supports the notion that the more sedentary time you rack up, the higher your risk of disease, including dementia. Too much sitting may even shorten your lifespan. Sedentary behavior has also been linked to a higher risk of heart disease, the number one cause of death in the U.S. Each year, more than 11 million people visit emergency rooms across the country with chest pain, and around 65% of them are admitted to the hospital. That makes up a quarter of all hospital admissions from the ER. But even though heart disease is the top cause of death in America, it's also highly preventable. Diet, physical activity, stress and sleep all play important roles in heart health—whether you've been diagnosed with heart disease or not. Researchers from Columbia University took a closer look at sedentary behavior following an ER or hospital admission for chest pain and other symptoms of acute coronary syndrome (ACS), including shortness of breath, sweating and dizziness. They wanted to know if there was a connection between the amount of sedentary behavior and the risk of having a cardiac event, like a heart attack, or death from a cardiac event during the year following the hospital visit. They recently published their findings in Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes. Let's break them down. Related: 7 Carbs You Should Be Buying for Better Blood Pressure For this study, researchers recruited patients who visited the ER at Columbia University Medical Center with symptoms suggestive of acute coronary syndrome between September 2016 and March 2020. They accepted a total of 609 participants who met their criteria. Participants' average age was 62, and just over half were male. Participants each received a wrist accelerometer to wear, which records time and intensity of movement, sleep and sedentary behavior. Accelerometers were provided to patients while in the hospital. They were instructed to wear it on their non-dominant wrist continuously for 24 hours while in the hospital and for at least 30 days post-discharge. Besides accelerometer data, researchers also gathered data on age, sex, race/ethnicity, education and whether or not they had a partner, health insurance and an actual diagnosis of acute coronary syndrome. Ultimately, researchers were looking for participants who had a cardiac event or died of any cause during the 12 months following entry into the study. Researchers received this information from electronic medical records and by calling participants at the end of the study period. Cardiac events included a heart attack, urgent coronary revascularization (like cardiac bypass surgery) or hospitalization for unstable angina (chest pain caused by reduced blood flow to the heart). Several findings surfaced following statistical analysis. Replacing 30 minutes of sedentary time with low-intensity physical activity was associated with a 51% lower risk of cardiac events and dying from anything. Replacing 30 minutes of sedentary time with moderate-vigorous physical activity was associated with a 61% lower risk of cardiac events and dying from anything. Replacing 30 minutes of sedentary time with 30 minutes of sleep was associated with a 14% lower risk of cardiac events and dying from anything. Ultimately, these results suggest that swapping sitting with just about anything else, including sleep, may reduce the risk of cardiac events and death. An important note that researchers highlight is that there is evidence suggesting that patients who are hospitalized with symptoms suggestive of acute coronary syndrome, but who ultimately have acute coronary syndrome ruled out, are still at increased risk of adverse outcomes, including cardiovascular events. In other words, if you are hospitalized for signs of a heart attack but they rule it out, you are likely still at high risk for having one. So if you have symptoms but are not formally diagnosed, you should still take those symptoms seriously. There are a few limitations to this study. First, participants wore accelerometers during the first 30 days following discharge. Some patients might have been less active during this time, as people are often cautious about movement following cardiac events. Also, while certain demographics were adjusted for, it's impossible to catch all factors that can skew results. Lastly, the results lose some statistical power due to the small number of events (cardiac or death) that took place during the 12 months. Therefore, the researchers state that these results should be interpreted with caution and considered preliminary evidence. Related: The #1 Food You Should Limit to Reduce Your Risk of High Blood Pressure, According to Dietitians These results show that it doesn't take a huge shift to potentially see big changes—in this case, a reduction in cardiac events and death. While moderate-vigorous physical activity showed the greatest risk reduction, low-intensity physical activity had some pretty amazing results, too. While it might come as no surprise that physical activity reduces heart disease risk, you might be wondering why sleep would. 'Unlike sitting, sleep promotes healthful, restorative processes that help regulate blood pressure, reduce inflammation and support heart function,' explains Keith Diaz, Ph.D., one of the study's lead authors and associate professor of behavioral medicine at Columbia University. 'Sitting for hours at a time does the opposite. It increases blood pressure, can trigger chronic inflammation and contributes to poor heart health. For example, blood pressure typically drops by more than 10% during sleep. This gives your heart, blood vessels and other organs a reprieve from higher pressures that can be damaging to them.' Current physical activity guidelines recommend getting at least 150 minutes a week of moderate-intensity or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity physical activity a week. Strength training is also recommended at least twice a week. Plus you want to try to fit in some stretching throughout your week. Related: 5 Supplements You Should Take for Better Heart Health, According to Dietitians The good news is that any amount of physical activity is better than none—and it doesn't have to be done every day. We previously reported on a study that found that 'weekend warriors' get just about as many health benefits as those who exercise over several days. But physical activity and sleep are just a part of the heart disease puzzle. The American Heart Association promotes its Life's Essential 8 wheel for heart disease prevention and overall good health. The wheel consists of four health behaviors and four health factors. The health behaviors include eating healthy, moving your body, quitting tobacco and getting healthy sleep. The health factors include things you can measure that are influenced by the health behaviors: weight, cholesterol, blood pressure and blood sugar. If you need help with what to eat, the Mediterranean diet is a great place to start. Loaded with heart-healthy foods like fruit, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, seeds, seafood and healthy oils like olive oil, the Mediterranean diet ranks as one of the top eating patterns for heart health, along with the DASH diet, a spin-off of the Mediterranean diet that limits sodium. If you want more guidance, check out our 30-Day DASH Diet Meal Plan for Beginners or our 7-Day Mediterranean Diet Meal Plan for Heart Health. Related: 5 Things to Do When You Wake Up to Help Lower Cholesterol, According to Experts This study suggests that by replacing 30 minutes of sedentary time with exercise of any kind or with sleep, you may reduce your risk of having a cardiac event or dying following a visit to the hospital for chest pain. If you're currently inactive, start looking for ways to be intentional with your activity. Take the stairs, park at the far end of the parking lot and take movement breaks throughout the day. If you've got sleep issues, assess your bedtime routine and sleep environment and make appropriate changes. If you snore or are getting the proper amount of sleep but are still exhausted, consult with your healthcare practitioner, who can assess your situation and refer you to the appropriate specialists. Read the original article on EATINGWELL
American Military News
7 days ago
- Health
- American Military News
Even a little daily activity may lower heart, death risks for heart attack survivors
People who spend their days sedentary after a heart-related emergency – such as a heart attack or chest pain – may face a greater risk of another cardiac event or even death within a year than those who move even a little, according to new research. The study found replacing just 30 minutes of sedentary time with 30 minutes of light-intensity physical activity could lower the risk of having another cardiovascular event or dying by 50%. The risk could be reduced by up to 61% with the same amount of moderate to vigorous physical activity. The findings were published in the American Heart Association journal Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes. 'Current treatment guidelines after a cardiac event focus mainly on encouraging patients to exercise regularly,' lead author Dr. Keith Diaz, an associate professor of behavioral medicine at Columbia University Medical Center in New York City, said in a news release. 'In our study, we explored whether sedentary time itself may contribute to cardiovascular risk.' Prior research by the same team found people who had experienced a heart attack were spending up to 13 hours each day being sedentary, defined as getting little to no physical movement during periods when they were awake. In the new study, researchers analyzed health, sleep and physical activity data for 609 adults, ages 21 to 96, who were treated for a heart attack or chest pain in the emergency department at Columbia University Medical Center. Physical activity was tracked using wrist accelerometers for a median of 30 days following discharge from the hospital. The devices measured movement in three directions – forward and backward, side to side and up and down – to better assess the intensity of movement beyond what a person could recall. Examples of moderate-intensity physical activities included brisk walking, water aerobics, dancing, doubles tennis and gardening. Vigorous-intensity activity included running, swimming laps, heavy yard work, singles tennis and jumping rope. People in the most physically active group averaged 143.8 minutes of light daily physical activity, 25 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous activity, 11.7 hours of sedentary behavior and 8.4 hours of sleep. People in the least physically active group averaged 82.2 minutes of light physical activity per day, 2.7 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous activity, 15.6 hours of sedentary behavior and 6.6 hours of sleep. Phone surveys, electronic health records and the Social Security Death Index were used to determine whether cardiac events or deaths from any cause had occurred up to one year after hospital discharge. The least active participants were more than 2.5 times as likely as the most active to have another heart attack, have surgery to treat heart issues, be hospitalized again or die within a year of their first cardiac event. Getting more sleep also lowered the participants' risk for another cardiovascular event or death. Swapping 30 minutes of sedentary behavior for 30 minutes of sleep reduced the risk by 14%. 'We were surprised that replacing sedentary time with sleep also lowered risk,' said Diaz, a certified exercise physiologist. 'Sleep is a restorative behavior that helps the body and mind recover, which is especially important after a serious health event like a heart attack.' During the follow-up period, 50 participants – about 8% – experienced another cardiac event or died. The findings indicate 'that one doesn't have to start running marathons after a cardiovascular event to see benefits,' Diaz said. 'Sitting less and moving or sleeping a little more can make a real difference.' Even small tasks, such as tidying up the house or a slow stroll were 'nearly as beneficial as moderate-to-vigorous-intensity physical activities, like biking or doing aerobics,' Dr. Bethany Barone Gibbs said in the news release. She is chair of the department of epidemiology and biostatistics at the School of Public Health at West Virginia University in Morgantown. The study provides more support for a 'sit less, move more' strategy for people who experienced a heart event – and especially those who may have barriers to more intense exercise, said Barone Gibbs, who was not involved in the research. 'These findings suggest sitting less and doing anything else – like taking a walk, cooking, playing with your dog or gardening – will help you stay healthier,' she said. ___ © 2025 American Heart Association, Inc. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC
San Francisco Chronicle
19-05-2025
- Health
- San Francisco Chronicle
Even a little daily activity may lower heart, death risks for heart attack survivors
People who spend their days sedentary after a heart-related emergency – such as a heart attack or chest pain – may face a greater risk of another cardiac event or even death within a year than those who move even a little, according to new research. The study found replacing just 30 minutes of sedentary time with 30 minutes of light-intensity physical activity could lower the risk of having another cardiovascular event or dying by 50%. The risk could be reduced by up to 61% with the same amount of moderate to vigorous physical activity. The findings were published May 19 in the American Heart Association journal Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes. "Current treatment guidelines after a cardiac event focus mainly on encouraging patients to exercise regularly," lead author Dr. Keith Diaz, an associate professor of behavioral medicine at Columbia University Medical Center in New York City, said in a news release. "In our study, we explored whether sedentary time itself may contribute to cardiovascular risk." Prior research by the same team found people who had experienced a heart attack were spending up to 13 hours each day being sedentary, defined as getting little to no physical movement during periods when they were awake. In the new study, researchers analyzed health, sleep and physical activity data for 609 adults, ages 21 to 96, who were treated for a heart attack or chest pain in the emergency department at Columbia University Medical Center. Physical activity was tracked using wrist accelerometers for a median of 30 days following discharge from the hospital. The devices measured movement in three directions – forward and backward, side to side and up and down – to better assess the intensity of movement beyond what a person could recall. Examples of moderate-intensity physical activities included brisk walking, water aerobics, dancing, doubles tennis and gardening. Vigorous-intensity activity included running, swimming laps, heavy yard work, singles tennis and jumping rope. People in the most physically active group averaged 143.8 minutes of light daily physical activity, 25 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous activity, 11.7 hours of sedentary behavior and 8.4 hours of sleep. People in the least physically active group averaged 82.2 minutes of light physical activity per day, 2.7 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous activity, 15.6 hours of sedentary behavior and 6.6 hours of sleep. Phone surveys, electronic health records and the Social Security Death Index were used to determine whether cardiac events or deaths from any cause had occurred up to one year after hospital discharge. The least active participants were more than 2.5 times as likely as the most active to have another heart attack, have surgery to treat heart issues, be hospitalized again or die within a year of their first cardiac event. Getting more sleep also lowered the participants' risk for another cardiovascular event or death. Swapping 30 minutes of sedentary behavior for 30 minutes of sleep reduced the risk by 14%. "We were surprised that replacing sedentary time with sleep also lowered risk," said Diaz, a certified exercise physiologist. "Sleep is a restorative behavior that helps the body and mind recover, which is especially important after a serious health event like a heart attack." During the follow-up period, 50 participants – about 8% – experienced another cardiac event or died. The findings indicate "that one doesn't have to start running marathons after a cardiovascular event to see benefits," Diaz said. "Sitting less and moving or sleeping a little more can make a real difference." Even small tasks, such as tidying up the house or a slow stroll were "nearly as beneficial as moderate-to-vigorous-intensity physical activities, like biking or doing aerobics," Dr. Bethany Barone Gibbs said in the news release. She is chair of the department of epidemiology and biostatistics at the School of Public Health at West Virginia University in Morgantown. The study provides more support for a "sit less, move more" strategy for people who experienced a heart event – and especially those who may have barriers to more intense exercise, said Barone Gibbs, who was not involved in the research. "These findings suggest sitting less and doing anything else – like taking a walk, cooking, playing with your dog or gardening – will help you stay healthier," she said.
Associated Press
06-05-2025
- Health
- Associated Press
More women with most common autoimmune diseases die from cardiovascular disease than men
Research Highlights: In a study focused on individuals with the immune-mediated inflammatory diseases rheumatoid arthritis, lupus or systemic sclerosis, the overall cardiovascular disease-related death decreased for all participants between 1999 and 2020. However, women had a 50% higher cardiovascular disease-related death rate than men. The main causes of death related to cardiovascular disease among all participants were coronary artery disease and stroke. The disparity in deaths between women and men was highest among people with rheumatoid arthritis; the cardiovascular disease-related death rate for women with rheumatoid arthritis was approximately three times higher than in men. Women with rheumatoid arthritis, lupus or systemic sclerosis were more than twice as likely to die because of arrhythmia or cardiac arrest than their male counterparts in the 22-year study period. ( NewMediaWire ) - May 06, 2025 - DALLAS — Women with the autoimmune diseases rheumatoid arthritis, lupus or systemic sclerosis may have a higher rate of death related to cardiovascular disease than men with the autoimmune diseases, according to new research published in the American Heart Association's journal Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes. According to the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases , an estimated 8% of the U.S. population — approximately 27 million people — have an autoimmune disease. Immune-mediated inflammatory diseases, such as Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, asthma, multiple sclerosis and systemic lupus erythematosus, also called lupus, are a broad subset of autoimmune diseases that involve chronic inflammation, which can contribute to cardiovascular disease . Additionally, previous research has found that after a heart attack, people with the immune-mediated inflammatory diseases lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, systemic sclerosis, dermatomyositis or psoriasis were more likely to die, develop heart failure or have a second heart attack in comparison to people without one of these autoimmune diseases. Rheumatoid arthritis, lupus and systemic sclerosis are among the most common immune-mediated inflammatory diseases, the authors said. Women are two to three times more likely than men to have rheumatoid arthritis and approximately nine times more likely than men to have lupus , according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Systemic sclerosis, also called scleroderma , is a group of rare autoimmune diseases distinct from multiple sclerosis that involves the tightening and hardening of the skin, potentially affecting the digestive tract, blood vessels and internal organs. It is also more common among women than men, according to the CDC. However, understanding the differences between men and women in the rate of cardiovascular disease-related death linked to immune-mediated inflammatory diseases such as these remains relatively unexplored, the study authors noted. 'Our study highlights the significant burden of cardiovascular disease in patients with immune-mediated inflammatory diseases, which disproportionately affect women,' said senior study author Heba S. Wassif, M.D., M.P.H., an assistant professor at Lerner College of Medicine of Case Western Reserve University and director of cardio-rheumatology at Cleveland Clinic, both in Cleveland. 'It is critical to screen for and address cardiovascular risk factors early, at the time of diagnosis and periodically thereafter.' Researchers analyzed data from the CDC WONDER database for more than 127,000 deaths related to cardiovascular disease among more than 281,000 deaths associated with rheumatoid arthritis, lupus or systemic sclerosis. The researchers evaluated trends and differences in the rates of cardiovascular disease-related death for men and women with the most common auto-immune conditions between 1999 and 2020. The analysis found: The overall cardiovascular disease-related death rate in individuals with immune-mediated inflammatory diseases declined from 3.9 to 2.1 per 100,000 in women and from 1.7 to 1.2 per 100,000 in men between 1999 and 2020, indicating women continue to be at a higher risk of dying from cardiovascular disease despite the overall decline in deaths. Stroke and coronary artery disease were the main causes of cardiovascular disease-related deaths in patients with immune-mediated inflammatory diseases. Women died from both stroke and coronary artery disease at a higher rate than men did. Women with immune-mediated inflammatory diseases were more than two times more likely to die from irregular heart rhythm or cardiac arrest than the male participants. The risk of cardiovascular disease-related death varied across common immune-mediated inflammatory diseases. People with rheumatoid arthritis had the highest death rate — 1.8 deaths per 100,000 among women compared to 0.6 deaths per 100,000 among men throughout the entire study period. In comparison, the cardiovascular disease-related death rate for people with lupus was 0.2 deaths per 100,000 among women and 0.1 deaths per 100,000 in men. The cardiovascular disease-related death rate among participants with systemic sclerosis was too low to compare to the rate in men v. women. 'There is a common perception that people with immune-mediated inflammatory diseases primarily die from infections or kidney disease. However, our study revealed that one-third of deaths in this population were due to cardiovascular disease, highlighting the significant burden of heart disease in these patients,' said lead study author Issam Motairek, M.D., an internal medicine resident at Cleveland Clinic. 'This study reinforces the need to investigate drivers of these disparities between women and men and how to improve treatment for patients with immune-mediated inflammatory diseases.' Study details and background: Researchers analyzed data for 127,149 cardiovascular-related deaths out of 281,355 deaths among adults with underlying immune-mediated inflammatory diseases in the U.S. between 1999 and 2020. The data was from the Multiple Cause of Death files within the CDC WONDER database (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Wide-Ranging Online Data for Epidemiologic Research). Multiple Cause of Death data details the causes of death listed on death certificates for adults in the U.S. The study's limitations include that the findings may underestimate or overestimate death rates due to potential cause-of-death coding misclassifications in the CDC records in this analysis. Additionally, the contribution of immune-mediated inflammatory diseases to cardiovascular disease may be underestimated because less-common autoimmune diseases were not included in the study. The study also did not include information for individual patients about other health conditions and treatment because this data is not available in the CDC WONDER database and could not be considered in the analysis. 'As we gain a deeper understanding of inflammation's role in cardiovascular disease, we must translate this knowledge into targeted prevention strategies to reduce cardiovascular disease-related deaths in women with immune-mediated inflammatory diseases,' Wassif said. 'Key questions remain about the underlying causes of these disparities between women and men, about which therapies could be most effective in reducing risk, and about our understanding of the nature of coronary artery disease in patients with immune-mediated inflammatory diseases. Future research is needed to help address these gaps and improve outcomes for this high-risk population.' Co-authors, disclosures and funding sources are listed in the manuscript. Studies published in the American Heart Association's scientific journals are peer-reviewed. The statements and conclusions in each manuscript are solely those of the study authors and do not necessarily reflect the Association's policy or position. The Association makes no representation or guarantee as to their accuracy or reliability. The Association receives more than 85% of its revenue from sources other than corporations. These sources include contributions from individuals, foundations and estates, as well as investment earnings and revenue from the sale of our educational materials. Corporations (including pharmaceutical, device manufacturers and other companies) also make donations to the Association. The Association has strict policies to prevent any donations from influencing its science content. Overall financial information is available here . Additional Resources: ### About the American Heart Association The American Heart Association is a relentless force for a world of longer, healthier lives. Dedicated to ensuring equitable health in all communities, the organization has been a leading source of health information for more than one hundred years. Supported by more than 35 million volunteers globally, we fund groundbreaking research, advocate for the public's health, and provide critical resources to save and improve lives affected by cardiovascular disease and stroke. By driving breakthroughs and implementing proven solutions in science, policy, and care, we work tirelessly to advance health and transform lives every day. Connect with us on , Facebook , X or by calling 1-800-AHA-USA1. For Media Inquiries and AHA/ASA Expert Perspective: 214-706-1173 John Arnst: [email protected] For Public Inquiries: 1-800-AHA-USA1 (242-8721) and
Associated Press
14-04-2025
- Health
- Associated Press
Sleep matters: duration, timing, quality and more may affect cardiovascular disease risk
Statement Highlights: Embargoed until 4:00 a.m. CT/5:00 a.m. ET Monday, April 14, 2025 ( NewMediaWire ) - April 14, 2025 - DALLAS — Healthy sleep includes multiple components, such as number of hours of sleep per night, how long it takes to fall asleep, daytime functioning and self-reported sleep satisfaction, and addressing these different dimensions of sleep may help to reduce cardiometabolic health and related risk factors, according to a new American Heart Association scientific statement published today in Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes. The new scientific statement, 'Multidimensional Sleep Health: Definitions and Implications for Cardiometabolic Health,' describes multiple components of sleep health, such as sleep duration, continuity, timing, satisfaction, regularity and daytime functioning. The scientific statement also reviews the latest evidence on what is known about the relationship between sleep and various cardiometabolic health factors, including body fat, blood sugar, cholesterol and blood pressure, and how healthy sleep positively impacts physical health and mental well-being. 'Most adults need 7 to 9 hours of sleep each night, and suboptimal sleep raises the risk for cardiovascular disease, along with risk of cognitive decline, depression, obesity, as well as high blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol levels,' said Chair of the scientific statement writing group Marie-Pierre St-Onge, Ph.D., C.C.S.H., FAHA, an associate professor of nutritional medicine in the department of medicine and director of the Center of Excellence for Sleep & Circadian Research, both at Columbia University Irving Medical Center in New York City. 'However, there is increasing evidence that sleep health is about more than the number of hours you sleep each night.' Sleep and cardiometabolic health According to the scientific statement, no single facet of sleep health fully captures people's sleep experiences and how their individual body responds. The less-discussed and less-studied components of sleep health are relevant to the sleep experience and contribute to overall physical and mental health and well-being. Sleep components include: Differences in sleep health The statement also addresses differences in sleep health for people affected by adverse social drivers of health. A recent review of more than 300 studies found consistent associations between lower socioeconomic status and suboptimal sleep health. Social and environmental factors, including home and neighborhood characteristics such as light, air and noise pollution and safety, also contribute to differences in one or more components of sleep health. Compared with non-Hispanic white people, individuals in historically underrepresented racial and ethnic groups sleep less and are more likely to experience worse sleep continuity, less satisfaction with sleep, later bedtimes, more irregular sleep, higher daytime sleepiness and a higher occurrence of sleep disorders . These differences are observed across the life span and persist over time, with Black adults having the worst sleep health among all people. 'It's important to know that every individual has different sleep experiences, and these differences may contribute to other health inequities,' said St-Onge. 'Including different components of sleep in discussions with patients provides essential information that can help health care professionals improve care.' Asking questions such as 'How long does it typically take you to fall asleep each night?,' 'How many times do you wake up during the night?' and 'How often do you feel exhausted during the day?' can give patients the opportunity to share concerns about their sleep experience and quality of sleep. Documenting sleep details in the patient's medical records will help the patient's health care team to be informed about the patient's sleep health and may prompt more in-depth evaluation or screening. This information is also helpful when considering how a patient's health conditions and prescribed medication regimen may interfere with sleep health and need to be adjusted or changed. 'Some changes in sleep across the life course are natural, however, individuals should not accept poor or worsening sleep as a 'fact of life' or unavoidable consequence of the aging process. If they note new difficulties falling or staying asleep, or excessive daytime sleepiness, they should discuss this with their doctor for further evaluation and potential treatment,' said St-Onge. More research needed to optimize sleep health Awareness of the importance of sleep is growing, however, more research about the various dimensions of sleep health is needed so that clinicians can support patients with ways to promote healthy sleep and improve health. While there are numerous smartwatches and other personal devices available to track the amount of time spent asleep per night, advances in ways to assess other sleep dimensions are needed. Using data from both self-reported and objective measures can help ensure sleep health guidance is grounded in reliable and comprehensive information. Sleep is one of the health metrics noted in Life's Essential 8, the American Heart Association's measures for optimal cardiovascular health. When incorporating sleep into the Life's Essential 8 score, the only measure for sleep is its duration (number of hours per night) because there isn't enough validated research yet confirming how to assess other sleep components. According to some research studies, poor sleep health (such as short sleep duration and irregular sleep schedules) contributes to adverse cardiovascular outcomes. There is a need for evidence from clinical trials confirming that improving sleep health leads to better cardiometabolic health. This data could be useful in developing effective interventions to help people improve various components of their sleep, which, in turn, supports better cardiometabolic health. Research studies on multidimensional sleep health would ideally include collaborative efforts across medical specialties, including sleep medicine, cardiology, endocrinology, gastroenterology, nephrology, pulmonology and neurology. In addition, individuals from under-represented racial and ethnic groups should be included in studies to capture the various components of sleep health in diverse populations and communities. Broader understanding and validated research about the impact of sleep on physical health and mental well-being are key to advancing cardiovascular health for all. This scientific statement was prepared by the volunteer writing group on behalf of the American Heart Association's Council on Lifestyle and Cardiometabolic Health; the Council on Cardiovascular and Stroke Nursing; the Council on Clinical Cardiology; and the Council on Quality of Care and Outcomes Research. American Heart Association scientific statements promote greater awareness about cardiovascular diseases and stroke issues and help facilitate informed health care decisions. Scientific statements outline what is currently known about a topic and what areas need additional research. While scientific statements inform the development of guidelines, they do not make treatment recommendations. American Heart Association guidelines provide the Association's official clinical practice recommendations. Additional members of the statement writing group and co-authors are Vice-Chair Michael A. Grandner, Ph.D., M.T.R, M.S., FAHA; Brooke Aggarwal, Ed.D., M.S., FAHA; Julio Fernandez-Mendoza, Ph.D.; Dayna Johnson, Ph.D., M.P.H., M.S.W., M.S.; Christopher E. Kline, Ph.D., M.S.; Kristen L. Knutson, Ph.D., FAHA; and Nancy Redeker, Ph.D., R.N., M.S.N., FAHA. Authors' disclosures are listed in the manuscript. The Association receives more than 85% of its revenue from sources other than corporations. These sources include contributions from individuals, foundations and estates, as well as investment earnings and revenue from the sale of our educational materials. Corporations (including pharmaceutical, device manufacturers and other companies) also make donations to the Association. The Association has strict policies to prevent any donations from influencing its science content. Overall financial information is available here. Additional Resources: ### About the American Heart Association The American Heart Association is a relentless force for a world of longer, healthier lives. Dedicated to ensuring equitable health in all communities, the organization has been a leading source of health information for more than one hundred years. Supported by more than 35 million volunteers globally, we fund groundbreaking research, advocate for the public's health, and provide critical resources to save and improve lives affected by cardiovascular disease and stroke. By driving breakthroughs and implementing proven solutions in science, policy, and care, we work tirelessly to advance health and transform lives every day. Connect with us on Facebook, X or by calling 1-800-AHA-USA1. For Media Inquiries: 214-706-1173 Michelle Kirkwood: [email protected] For Public Inquiries: 1-800-AHA-USA1 (242-8721) and
