A new study from UC San Francisco has revealed yet another reason why sleep is so important for heart health, particularly for women.[1]

The results showed that poor sleep – particularly waking up too early in the morning – appears to significantly raise inflammation levels among women with heart disease.

Inflammation is bad news for heart health. It damages our cells and keeps our bodies in a state of dis-ease. It contributes to pain, swelling, fluid retention, and is a key factor in numerous other diseases as well as heart disease (including auto-immune diseases, which are increasing at an alarming rate). Reducing inflammation is a key factor in achieving optimum levels of health.

So if sleep has such an important role to play in keeping inflammation levels at bay and optimizing heart health, how can we make sure we’re getting enough? And how can we increase our sleep quality?

Here are my top five tips for making sure you are catching enough good quality zzzzzz’s to make your heart happy.

1. Go to bed and wake up at consistent times. This is the biggest key to creating good sleep hygiene practices. Your body thrives on routine, and leveling out your sleep rhythms can have an immense effect on your energies. It might take your body a few nights to get used to, but the results will be worth it!
2. Night owls beware! An old health adage says that every hour of sleep before midnight is worth two after. Perhaps this is a slight exaggeration, but getting to bed at a reasonable hour is super important. This is because our body heals, regenerates and releases hormones during these all-important hours. If you are a long-time night owl, trying going to bed half an hour earlier each week. Set an alarm thirty minutes before you want to go to bed to remind yourself that it is time to start winding down.
3. Switch off, sister! Bright lights, watching TV, working on your laptop, reading on your iPad… all these activities are stimulating your brain with unnatural light that is not doing your sleeping patterns any favors. If you struggle to drop off to sleep, try imposing a techno-ban for at least an hour before you want to go to bed. Avoiding harsh lighting at night can also be useful.
4. Ditch the caffeine. No, I’m not telling you that you have to give up your morning cup of joe, but perhaps you could experiment with cutting out all caffeine after lunchtime (this includes caffeinated sodas!). Many people are sensitive to caffeine and its stimulating properties but don’t even know it. Try exchanging your afternoon latte for a chai, a cup of tea or soda water with lemon, and see if it makes a difference for you.
5. Walk away your troubles. Exercise is a big factor in helping you get a great night’s sleep. Making your body work during the day means that it will rest that much better at night time. This can be as simple as taking walking around your neighborhood for twenty minutes. Get moving and see the difference!

What are your top tips for satisfying sleep? Share away in the comments below!

[1] Prather et al. ‘Gender differences in the prospective associations of self-reported sleep quality with biomarkers of systemic inflammation and coagulation: Findings from the Heart and Soul Study’. Journal of Psychiatric Research, Volume 47, Issue 9, September 2013, Pages 1228–1235.