| If you regularly stay up to catch the late show | | | | subjects into three groups according to how |
| with the host of your choice, or watch the end of | | | | many hours they slept at night - less than 6, 6-7 |
| a favorite classic movie, you might be more than | | | | or 7+ hours. |
| a bit drowsy the next day, you might also be | | | | In each group, the subjects who went to bed |
| putting yourself at risk for some pretty | | | | before midnight had the more relaxed arteries, as |
| dangerous artery problems. | | | | compared to men who went to bed after 12:00. |
| A first ever study, presented at the American | | | | No one knows why this might be, though Misao |
| College of Cardiology's 58th Annual Scientific | | | | speculates that being up later allows for more |
| Sessions, looks at bedtimes and health, and finds | | | | snacking, (and other unhealthy behaviors for the |
| that men who go to bed after midnight have | | | | heart) leading to obesity, a known risk factor for |
| much more arterial stiffening, an early signal of | | | | heart disease. |
| atherosclerosis (plaque build up on the insides of | | | | Another theory holds that going to bed after |
| the arteries). | | | | midnight might activate the sympathetic nervous |
| "There have been many studies about the | | | | system - known to speed up body functions like |
| relationship between sleep - mainly sleep duration - | | | | heart rate as well as managing how the body |
| and occurrence of disease, but it remains unclear | | | | reacts to stress. |
| how bedtime affects cardiovascular risk factors | | | | Perhaps burning the midnight oil might throw your |
| and arterial stiffness, which is the first indication of | | | | internal biological clock off and cause problems in |
| hardening of the arteries," explained Yu Misao, MD, | | | | ways we don't yet understand. |
| PhD, the study author. | | | | So while staying up late might help us get things |
| Could the late bedtimes be affecting the health of | | | | done, or give us a much needed bit of privacy |
| your heart? | | | | after a demanding day, it may also put an undue |
| The study by Misao and colleagues set out to | | | | strain on your arteries, your heart and perhaps |
| answer just this question by testing 251 healthy | | | | your whole cardiovascular system. |
| men no older than 60. | | | | Other large studies have associated chronic sleep |
| The subjects had what amounted to an annual | | | | loss with serious conditions like diabetes, obesity |
| checkup where their blood pressure, weight, waist | | | | and heart disease. |
| circumference, body mass index (BMI) and lipid | | | | You don't need a doctor to tell you that getting |
| levels were all measured and recorded. | | | | the right amount of rest helps you function at |
| Using brachial ankle pulse wave velocity, the men | | | | your best, makes you better able to mange |
| were examined for evidence of any arterial | | | | stress and keeps your body rested and ready to |
| stiffening, and the participants also filled out | | | | handle physical challenges or fight off illness. |
| questionnaires about sleep habits. | | | | And while this doesn't mean you have to change |
| Six hours, 20 minutes sleep a night was the | | | | your sleeping schedule it if works for you, it |
| average, and most of the subjects reported going | | | | doesn't hurt to be aware of the potential link |
| to bed at 11:30 pm. | | | | between later bedtimes and heart health. |
| The research found that the fewer hours a man | | | | Practicing good sleep habits, including establishing a |
| slept each night, the higher his blood pressure, | | | | routine and restful place to sleep are all-important |
| triglyceride levels and blood cholesterol levels | | | | steps to helping you get the rest your body |
| were. | | | | needs. |
| "This is consistent with previous reports showing | | | | You might also want to focus your energy on |
| that short sleep duration may negatively affect | | | | what experts already know will help to minimize |
| cardiovascular risk factors," Misao explains. | | | | your risk for artery problems - eating a healthy, |
| How much the subjects slept appeared to have | | | | balanced diet and exercising most days of the |
| no bearing on arterial stiffness. | | | | week. |
| What the team did next was to divide the | | | | |