Sleep well (but not too much)
Researchers from the University of Warwick recently reported that those who sleep for less than six hours a night and have disturbed sleep have a 48 per cent greater chance of heart disease and 15 per cent greater chance of stroke. Insomnia is also a source of stress and stress triggers adrenalin, which makes our hearts, beat faster.
However, researchers at the University of West Virginia in 2010 have found that those who regularly sleep for more than nine hours a night have an almost 50 per cent higher risk of suffering a heart attack or other cardiovascular disease.
Evidence available suggests that irregular sleep patterns – for example, lying in on the weekends – disrupts the delicate balance of our circadian rhythms, which may alter processes in the body such as the metabolism of sugar and raise the risk of conditions such as type 2 diabetes.
“Sleeping too much and too little can be harmful to our health. Seven is the perfect number for most adults,” von Borstel concluded.