Most Brits understand the importance of sleep for a healthy lifestyle and know that everyone needs different amounts of sleep. According to the NHS, the average amount of sleep needed by adults is seven to nine hours each night, while children need around nine to thirteen hours.
Given that rest is important for mentaland physical health, people might assume the more sleep they can get, the better. However, the University Hospital of Wales has explained that the 'optimal amount of sleep' for heart health is less than 10 hours.
Sharing advice in a blog post for an NHS Wales health board, the Cardiothoracic Outpatients team at the University Hospital of Wales advised people they should aim for around seven to eight hours of sleep each night.
The blog said: "Aim for seven to eight hours of sleep a night. This is the optimal amount of sleep linked to a healthy heart." The health experts also urged people to eat well, move more, quit smoking, and check their blood pressure to look after their heart health.
The team wanted to remind people that making these changes could significantly impact their health. The advice added: "In Wales, heart problems and circulatory disease are a major cause of ill health and death.
"According to the British Heart Foundation around 51,000 people in Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan live with heart-related diseases. But there are many ways you can improve and protect your heart health."
TheBritish Heart Foundationrecommends getting seven to nine hours of sleep per night, warning that sleeping for longer or less is linked to a higher risk of some health conditions.
The charity explained: "Studies show that getting less than seven hours a night on a regular basis is linked to higher risks of atrial fibrillation (AF), high blood pressure at night and cardiometabolic syndrome that raises the risk of heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes. And sleeping more than nine hours per night is linked to a higher risk of cardiometabolic syndrome, stiffer arteries, stroke or death from heart disease or stroke."
People looking to improve their sleep routine can find advice on the NHS website.It states: "A good sleep routine should include having a set time to start winding down – and a way to relax is important too.
"Going to bed and getting up at fixed times is another good sleep habit. Ideally, a sleep routine should be the same every day, including weekends." The NHS added that getting regular exercise and eating a good diet can also improve sleep, just as an unhealthy diet and lack of exercise can harm sleep quality.
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