Just 11-minutes more in bed each day can cut heart attack risk as much as medication, study finds

Sleeping for 11 more minutes every night could drastically cut the risk of having a heart attack, a study has found.

Around 40,000 people per year die from cardiovascular diseases – including heart attacks, heart disease and strokes – every year in the UK.

For heart attacks alone there are 100,000 hospital admissions per year, equalling one every five minutes. 

Now, a new analysis of 53,000 middle-aged British adults has found that a number of lifestyle tweaks can help reduce cardiovascular risk.

The research, published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, found that an extra 11 minutes of sleep could slash it by 10 per cent.

It was also uncovered that walking for five more minutes per day or loading more vegetables onto your dinner plate can also help bring the risk down.

Those who followed the healthiest lifestyles in the study were found to be at a 57 per cent lower risk of heart attacks and strokes. 

Dr Nicholas Koemel, research fellow at the University of Sydney and the study’s lead author, said: ‘We show that combining small changes in a few areas of our lives can have a surprisingly large positive impact on our cardiovascular health.

‘This is very encouraging news because making a few small, combined changes is likely more achievable and sustainable for most people when compared with attempting major changes in a single behaviour.

‘Making even modest shifts in our daily routines is likely to have cardiovascular benefits as well as create opportunities for further changes in the long run.

‘I would encourage people not to overlook the importance of making a small change or two to your daily routine, no matter how small they may seem.’

The research team, who were from Chile and Brazil as well as Australia, found that 2,000 of the 53,000 people studied had a major cardiovascular event such as a heart attack.

Their sleep habits and exercise levels were tracked through data from technology such as smart watches. Diets were also tracked through the adults’ own self-reporting. 

The ‘optimal’ lifestyle for the greatest cardiovascular health was found to involve sleeping between eight and nine hours every night and exercising at a moderate-to-vigorous level for more than 42 minutes per day. A healthy diet was also necessary.

Commenting on the study, Emily McGrath, a senior cardiac nurse at the British Heart Foundation, said: ‘Many of us want to live healthier lives, but making changes can sometimes feel overwhelming or hard to fit into our busy routines.   

‘What’s encouraging about this study is that it shows those changes don’t need to be big to make a difference. Small tweaks — like getting a little more sleep, adding a few extra minutes of activity to your day, or eating a bit more veg — can work together to have a meaningful positive impact on your heart health.

‘We know that regular movement, good-quality sleep and a balanced diet are all important for our overall well-being.

‘This research highlights that improving these habits in combination, even in modest ways, can be more achievable and still bring real benefits.

‘The key is aiming for a generally healthy day-to-day lifestyle that you can stick with.’

Official NHS guidance for reducing cardiovascular disease risk includes eating a healthy and balanced diet, and reducing the amount of fatty foods consumed.

It is also advised to exercise regularly, keep a healthy weight, cut down on alcohol consumption and stop smoking.