How a Consistent Sleep Schedule Might Protect Your Heart

Over the last decade, researchers have strengthened the link between sleep and heart health, specifically. One theory for why consistent sleep helps your heart is that maintaining your circadian rhythm — the 24-hour cycle of your body’s internal clock — helps regulate cardiovascular function, Dr. Huang said. A regular bedtime routine — reading a few pages of a novel after you brush your teeth, for example — can help lock in a set sleep schedule. Even better: Make an early(ish) plan for brunch or a morning walk to give yourself added motivation for getting up. Take (even a brief) morning walk, if the weather allows, to expose yourself to sunlight around the same time each day, she recommended.