Scientists have found out how many hours of sleep are necessary for heart and brain health

Scientists from the American College of Cardiology studied the sleep patterns of two thousand participants. As a result, it turned out that lack of sleep, as well as its excess, negatively affects health.

In particular, those who slept less than six hours had a higher chance of plaque accumulation in the carotid arteries, which are two large blood vessels in the neck. They are responsible for delivering blood to the brain. If blood flow slows down, it increases the risk of stroke. There is also a high probability of developing cardiovascular diseases. It is interesting that the same thing happens when a person sleeps more than eight hours.

At the same time, doctors note that less sleep is more harmful to the body. In those who slept less than six hours, plaque accumulation increased by 54%. Those who slept more than eight hours only saw an increase of 39%, which is significant but not as high. Thus, as Evangelos Oikonomou, doctor of medicine and the author of the study, explained, you need to “sleep well, but not very well.” In other words, it is recommended to sleep for six to eight hours.