Study: Small Sleep, Activity, Diet Changes Cut Heart Risk 10%

A new study has found that modest daily adjustments to sleep, physical activity, and diet can significantly lower the risk of heart attacks and strokes among middle-aged adults. Researchers analyzing data from over 53,000 participants in the UK determined that adding just 11 minutes of sleep per night, 4.5 minutes of brisk walking, or 50 grams of vegetables to a person's routine could reduce the likelihood of major cardiovascular events by about 10 percent.

The findings, published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, come from an international team of scientists based in Australia, Chile, and Brazil. They examined eight years of health data collected through the UK Biobank, a large-scale project tracking half a million British volunteers. Participants, aged 40 to 69, wore devices like smartwatches to monitor sleep and activity levels, while providing self-reported details on their diets. During the study period, 2,034 major cardiovascular incidents occurred, allowing the researchers to identify patterns linking lifestyle factors to heart health outcomes.

The analysis highlighted how interconnected these behaviors are. Poor sleep can disrupt appetite hormones,...