10,000 steps a day may not be enough. A hidden factor could raise your heart attack risk, warn doctors

Heart disease continues to be one of the most serious public health issues in India, claiming countless lives each year. According to a report published by Medanta, nearly 24.2% of all deaths in the country are linked to cardiovascular diseases, with heart attacks—medically known as myocardial infarctions—accounting for a major share. Alarmingly, The New Indian Express reported that almost half of India’s heart patients are under the age of 40, underscoring the growing threat of early-onset heart disease among younger populations.

According to recent research highlighted by the American Heart Association (AHA) and published in Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes, improving both the quality and consistency of sleep could significantly reduce the risk of heart disease and related metabolic conditions.

The Critical Role of Sleep in Cardiovascular Health

The AHA’s scientific statement titled “Multidimensional Sleep Health: Definitions and Implications for Cardiometabolic Health” outlines that healthy sleep is not defined by hours alone but includes multiple dimensions such as regularity, continuity, timing, and overall satisfaction.

This comprehensive statement draws connections between various aspects of sleep and cardiometabolic risk factors, including obesity, blood sugar regulation, cholesterol levels, and blood pressure.

Key Dimensions of Quality Sleep

1. Sleep Duration
This refers to the total number of hours a person sleeps each night or across a 24-hour period. It can be measured through self-reported surveys or objective tracking tools like polysomnography and actigraphy. Researchers note that consistent sleep duration, ideally aligned with established medical guidelines, is strongly associated with reduced cardiometabolic risk.

2. Sleep Continuity
Continuity represents how well an individual can fall asleep and remain asleep throughout the night. It is often quantified as sleep efficiency—the ratio of time spent sleeping to time spent in bed. Factors such as the number of awakenings, time taken to fall asleep, and premature waking episodes determine this efficiency. Better continuity supports the body’s repair processes and enhances overall restfulness.

3. Sleep Timing
Timing pertains to when a person sleeps within the 24-hour cycle. Research indicates that an optimal bedtime between 10 p.m. and 11 p.m. may offer the best cardiovascular benefits. This is because the body’s circadian rhythm—the internal biological clock—aligns most effectively with nighttime sleep, improving hormonal balance and reducing inflammation.

4. Sleep Satisfaction
Beyond biological measurements, subjective satisfaction with one’s sleep quality also matters. This dimension captures how refreshed and rested an individual feels upon waking. It encompasses emotional and psychological components of rest that may not be detected through standard medical tests.

5. Sleep Regularity
Regularity involves maintaining consistent sleep and wake times across days. Irregular schedules—such as fluctuating sleep patterns between weekdays and weekends—can disrupt metabolic regulation. Stable sleep timing helps maintain hormonal rhythms, supports digestion, and promotes balanced energy levels.

6. Daytime Functioning
Healthy sleep is reflected not just in how one sleeps at night but also in how one performs during the day. Proper rest enhances alertness, focus, and energy while reducing daytime fatigue and drowsiness. Impairments in these areas are often warning signs of poor sleep health.

7. Sleep Architecture
This refers to the structure of sleep stages—including slow-wave (deep) sleep and rapid eye movement (REM) sleep — as recorded through brain wave studies. Each stage plays a critical role in restoring physical and cognitive functions, influencing everything from memory consolidation to blood pressure regulation.

A Holistic Approach to Sleep and Heart Health

The AHA statement underscores that addressing all these dimensions together offers a more comprehensive understanding of sleep’s role in heart health. Focusing solely on duration without considering quality, regularity, or timing may overlook crucial contributors to cardiovascular disease.

Encouragingly, research shows that improving sleep hygiene — such as maintaining consistent bedtime routines, minimizing exposure to screens before bed, managing stress, and creating a restful environment — can meaningfully enhance sleep quality and reduce health risks.

Additional Steps You Could Take To Protect Your Heart

As per an article published by the British Heart Foundation, walking daily, about 10,000 steps a day, can go a long way to safeguard your heart. Originating in the 1964 Japan Olympics, the concept of walking 10,000 steps per day can protect you from many health issues such as heart problems, dementia, cancer, etc.

According to health experts, completing 10,000 steps a day equals roughly eight kilometres. Walking this distance can help burn between 300 and 800 calories, varying by body weight and height. A major analysis published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology found that every additional 1,000 daily steps reduced the risk of premature death by about 15%. Among people over 60, the most noticeable improvements occurred between 6,000 and 10,000 steps, while younger adults saw the greatest gains between 7,000 and 13,000 steps.