Healthy Sleep Rules: How to Fall Asleep Faster and Sleep Better — Expert Advice from a Cardiologist

Cardiologist Maria Cherska shares evidence-based sleep rules, explaining how sleep quality affects stress levels, cortisol regulation, heart health, and cardiometabolic risk.

Healthy Sleep Rules: How to Fall Asleep Faster and Sleep Better — Expert Advice from a Cardiologist

Sleep is not just rest. It is a critical biological process that directly affects cardiovascular health, brain function, hormonal balance, and overall cardiometabolic risk.

Chronic sleep deprivation, disrupted sleep schedules, and persistent stress are strongly associated with elevated cortisol levels, arterial hypertension, insulin resistance, and an increased risk of cardiovascular disease.

Why Sleep Quality Is Essential for the Heart and Brain

During high-quality nighttime sleep, the body undergoes key recovery processes:

  • blood pressure regulation and nocturnal dipping;
  • reduction of cortisol and sympathetic nervous system activity;
  • production of melatonin, the primary recovery and circadian hormone;
  • restoration of autonomic nervous system balance;
  • reduction of cardiometabolic and inflammatory risk.

Disruption of these processes does not only cause fatigue, but contributes to long-term cardiovascular and metabolic consequences.

How Many Hours of Sleep Do You Really Need?

Although individual needs vary, most adults require 7–8 hours of high-quality sleep per night to maintain optimal cardiovascular and metabolic health.

Equally important are sleep timing and regularity. Late bedtimes, night shifts, and evening exposure to artificial light disrupt circadian rhythms and impair melatonin secretion.

Sleep Hygiene: Practical Evidence-Based Rules

  • go to bed and wake up at the same time every day;
  • avoid screens and bright light 1–2 hours before sleep;
  • maintain bedroom temperature at 18–20°C (64–68°F);
  • avoid heavy meals and alcohol in the evening;
  • create a consistent pre-sleep routine.

These simple interventions significantly improve sleep quality without the use of medication.

Stress, Cortisol, and Insomnia

Chronic stress is one of the most common causes of insomnia. Persistently elevated cortisol levels interfere with natural sleep initiation and reduce deep sleep phases.

Effective stress management is therefore as important as sleep hygiene itself in restoring healthy sleep patterns.

Expert Commentary

Maria Cherska, MD, PhD, Cardiologist, expert in cardiometabolic diseases:

“Healthy sleep is one of the most powerful non-pharmacological tools in cardiovascular disease prevention. Regular, restorative sleep reduces the risk of hypertension, cardiac arrhythmias, metabolic disorders, and chronic inflammation.”

Conclusion

Sleep is a foundational pillar of cardiovascular, metabolic, and mental health. Its quality directly influences energy levels, emotional stability, cognitive performance, and long-term disease prevention.

Optimizing sleep should be an integral component of modern cardiology and cardiometabolic care strategies.

🔗 Educational programs and professional resources:

LipidTime 7 — Education in Lipidology & Cardiometabolic Medicine


Scroll to Top