People with chronic sleep disturbances such as insomnia have a shorter life expectancy compared to those who consistently sleep well.

“Sleeping a solid seven or eight hours per night is a marker of good heart health,” says A. Marc Gillinov, MD, cardiac surgeon in Cleveland Clinic’s Heart & Vascular Institute “Exactly how sleep influences the coronary arteries is still being studied, but we do know that not getting enough sleep is associated with risk factors for heart disease.”

Dr. Gillinov explains that people who sleep less than six hours per night tend to have the cardiovascular risks of higher blood pressure, higher blood sugar (which can lead to diabetes), greater inflammation, and more obesity than those who sleep longer.

A recent study shows that inadequate sleep is associated with increased calcium buildup in the heart’s arteries. This calcium is a component of plaques that cause heart attacks. In the study, just one hour less sleep each night increased the risk of arterial calcification by 33 percent. And people who slept less than six hours per night had the greatest risk of developing changes in the arteries of the heart.

Short sleep also reduces the production of hormones that suppress appetite, and this may contribute to weight gain. 

Dr. Gillinov says that people who sleep too long—more than nine hours each night—also may have risk factors for heart disease. A possible explanation for heart disease in long sleepers: they may stay in bed for more hours because they are already unwell.

Some steps you can take to achieve healthy sleep pattern:

Avoid caffeinated drinks near bedtime

Limit alcohol

Find time to exercise during the day

Turn off the computer, cell phone, BlackBerry and television at least half an hour before going to sleep. 

By taking these steps, you’ll feel better, sleep better and be doing your heart a favor.