You’re probably familiar with the basics of heart health: eat real food, exercise often, and avoid unhealthy additives like sugar and preservatives.
But what you may not be aware of is just how easily a lot of this hard work can be undone if you’re unable to maintain consistent sleep. Case in point: just three days of poor sleep can significantly damage your heart.
In the same way you can’t out-exercise an unhealthy diet, there’s no way to out-eat, out-supplement, or out-medicate poor sleep. So the obvious solution is to ‘get more sleep.’
But what does this actually mean?
Here’s what the research shows.
We tend to undermine how important sleep is for our health. And in an increasingly sleep-deprived world, getting the bare minimum (or even less) is universally normalized. A 2024 study found that less than 15% of adults get seven to nine hours of sleep per night, and nearly a third (30%) sleep less than six hours per night.
First: why poor sleep is ruining your heart health
We also know that cases of heart disease have climbed 60% over the last 30 years (1990 to 2020). There are certainly plenty of factors that have contributed to this increase — with processed foods being among them. Nevertheless, it’s interesting to note that the number of adults sleeping less than six hours per night has also increased by 31% over a similar timeframe (1985 to 2012).
There are plenty of reasons why a full night’s sleep is seemingly unattainable in the US. For example, more and more people report feeling stressed over their future and finances, as evidenced by a poll showing a 16-point rise in nationwide stress levels. We’re also getting less sunlight, spending more time on phones, and working longer hours.
Another thing to consider is chronic disease, which typically results in added stress and higher levels of pain. These diseases are also on the rise: 42% of Americans have two or more, and 12% report at least five.
While much of this is a ‘chicken and egg’ scenario, it’s still easy to see the vicious cycle. Poor sleep leads to poor health, which leads to poor sleep — which inevitably leads to poor metabolic health.
Think about it.
When you’re sleep deprived, you’re less likely to stay focused, and more likely to lack the energy to focus on your health (like exercise). Studies show you’re also more likely to make unhealthy food decisions by experiencing cravings and eating more processed food.
To summarize, sleep is essential for fighting off heart disease.
So let’s examine what this looks like in practice.
Sleep habits you need to improve heart health
There are three pieces of the puzzle you need to consider: longer sleep, deeper sleep, and more consistent sleep.
Sleep Longer
This certainly isn’t rocket science, but it bears repeating: if you’re getting less than six hours of sleep each night, you need to extend your window. According to Dr Matthew Walker, getting five hours of sleep or less can increase coronary artery buildup by as much as 300%.
Somewhere between seven and nine hours per night is sufficient for most people. But this, of course, is often easier said than done — and it may be worth researching ways to increase your sleep pressure.
Sleep pressure is also known as your homeostatic sleep drive, which is essentially how tired you feel by the end of the day. This pressure is caused by the buildup of adenosine, which is a byproduct of your cellular metabolism.
Adenosine should be fairly low after you wake up from a long night’s rest. But as the day goes on and you expend more energy, your drive for sleep should steadily climb. The higher the level of adenosine in your system, the longer and deeper your sleep will be.
There are a few different ways to increase sleep pressure and adenosine levels, starting with high-intensity exercise. You may also wish to avoid high levels of caffeine early or late in the day. Studies also show that eating a low-carb diet may help increase adenosine levels.
If you want more information, you can read my guides on ketogenic and carnivore diets.
Sleep Deeply
Even if you sleep between seven and nine hours per night, not sleeping deeply could still lead to sleep deprivation. Quality matters, just like anything else for your health. And light sleeping, disturbed sleep, and tossing and turning can dramatically increase your risk for cardiovascular disease.
Some suggestions for improving sleep quality:
- Reduce all sources of light as you sleep. Blackout curtains may be useful here, as are blue light blockers or simply avoiding screens an hour before bed.
- Watch what you eat. Try not to snack three hours before you go to bed, especially sugar or carbohydrates. If you do need to eat, try something high in protein such as eggs, cheese, or greek yogurt.
- Supplement if absolutely necessary. My friend Dr. James DiNicolantonio has quite a few suggestions, including inositol, magnesium glycinate/malate, glycine, and L-theanine.
Sleep Consistently
Sleeping deeply is still just one piece of the puzzle — you also need to get sleep at the same time every day. Studies show that irregular sleep patterns can increase your risk of heart attack, heart failure, and stroke by 26%, and sleeping within a healthy window of seven to nine hours is not enough to offset the risk.
Even a variance of just 60 minutes could have a dramatic effect on your heart. Case in point, research shows there are 24% more heart attacks during the first three to four days after Daylight Savings in March.
A few options that might help with sleep consistency:
- Set aside more time than you think you’ll need. Want to sleep seven hours per night? Give yourself a 7.5 hour window. Aiming for eight? Try a scheduled window of 8.5 or nine hours. This isn’t feasible in every situation, but when possible, giving yourself a bumper timeframe can help you get into a rhythm and get the amount of sleep you need.
- Pick an alarm you can stick with regardless of the day. This includes weekends and weekdays if possible.
- Create a bedtime routine. Maybe this is reading a book, or taking a shower, or doing a crossword in bed. Whatever it is, create a consistent schedule. This will help to build a habit you can sustainably maintain.
So what’s to be done?
Sleep is the foundation of all aspects of metabolic health. With it, you’ll have the power to make better decisions with food, enjoy more stamina while exercising, and experience stable, consistent moods.
That’s not to say it’s easy to get more sleep, especially if you suffer from insomnia, sleep apnea, or chronic disease. Hearing people recommend you simply ‘need to sleep more’ is unhelpful and potentially disheartening if you feel you’ve already tried everything.
If that sounds like you and you’ve already read my thoughts above, I highly recommend working with a skilled sleep specialist.
If you don’t currently suffer from sleep-related disorders, here are some additional resources for improving your heart health:
- What it takes to reverse heart plaque
- The link between autoimmune disease and heart disease
- My heart attack recovery guide
