More sleep, physical activity and nutrition were associated with a reduction in the risk of heart attack or stroke. Photo / 123rf
More sleep, physical activity and nutrition were associated with a reduction in the risk of heart attack or stroke. Photo / 123rf
Adding 11 minutes of sleep, five minutes of exercise and a quarter-cup of extra vegetables per day could cut your risk of a major cardiac event, according to a new study.
Scientists found these changes to sleep, physical activity and nutrition were associated with a 10% reduction in the riskof things like a heart attack or stroke, in a study published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology.
It found the optimal combination each day was eight to 9.5 hours a day sleep, 40 or more minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity and an extra portion of vegetables.
Moderate-to-vigorous activity included everyday tasks such as taking the stairs, carrying shopping bags or walking briskly, according to the study.
For those who don’t get enough sleep, get minimal exercise and have a poor diet, this “optimal combination” could lower their risk of major cardiovascular events by 57%.
Exercise was the most important factor, followed by sleep, then diet.
One person dies every 90 minutes from cardiovascular disease in New Zealand, accounting for near one in three deaths, according to the Heart Foundation.
Sleeping tips. Photo / Heart Foundation
Lead author Dr Nicholas Koemel said people should not overlook the importance of a change or two to your daily routine “no matter how small they may seem”.
“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.”
The authors noted this was an observational study, so a clinical trial would be needed to establish a concrete relationship between these lifestyle behaviours and cardiovascular risk.
Previous studies have looked at the importance of these factors but have not studied them in concert. Understanding how they work together was key, the study argued.
“For example, poor sleep disrupts the normal transmission of appetite hormones, influencing what people eat and making them more likely to overeat.
“Physical activity improves sleep quality, but lack of sleep may reduce physical activity due to tiredness.
“Diet quality affects sleep and also energy levels needed for physical activity.”
A better quality diet involved a higher intake of vegetables, fruits, fish, dairy, whole grains, and vegetable oils and a lower intake of refined grains, processed meats, unprocessed red meat, and sugar-sweetened beverages, said the study.
The study followed more than 53,000 adults from UK Biobank over an eight‑year period using wearable technology and a self-reporting diet questionnaire.
