Sleep Too Little? Your Heart Might Pay The Price
Causal association between sleep duration, daytime napping, sleep disorders and ischemic heart disease: A systematic review and meta‑analysis of Mendelian randomization studies
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
Daytime napping increases heart disease risk by 63% — even after adjusting for nighttime sleep and obesity.
Most health advice encourages naps for energy — this shows they might be a symptom, not a solution, and carry serious hidden risk.
Practical Takeaways
If you regularly sleep ≤6 hours, aim to add 1–2 hours to reach 7–8 hours — this could cut your heart disease risk by 23%.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
Daytime napping increases heart disease risk by 63% — even after adjusting for nighttime sleep and obesity.
Most health advice encourages naps for energy — this shows they might be a symptom, not a solution, and carry serious hidden risk.
Practical Takeaways
If you regularly sleep ≤6 hours, aim to add 1–2 hours to reach 7–8 hours — this could cut your heart disease risk by 23%.
Publication
Journal
International Journal of Cardiology. Heart & Vasculature
Year
2025
Authors
Yi-Neng Shen, Zi-ling Cai, Rui-Ting Jia, Ai-song Zhu
Related Content
Claims (6)
If you sleep 8 to 9 hours every night, you’re less likely to have heart problems later on.
People who sleep six hours or less each night are more likely to develop heart disease, and this might be because not enough sleep messes up their metabolism and causes body inflammation.
People who take a lot of naps during the day might be more likely to develop heart problems, even if they sleep well at night and aren’t overweight—this could mean their sleep isn’t restful or their heart is under extra stress.
People who have trouble sleeping—like not being able to fall asleep, stopping breathing at night, or falling asleep at the wrong times—are much more likely to develop heart disease, and it might be because poor sleep messes up the body’s stress, inflammation, and metabolism systems.
If you usually sleep less than 6 hours a night and start getting 7 to 8 hours instead, you’re less likely to develop heart disease—so getting enough sleep might help keep your heart healthy.