Extra 11 minutes’ sleep each night can reduce heart attack risk, study finds

Researchers detail ‘surprisingly large’ cardiovascular health benefits of modest shifts in behaviour

Sleeping for 11 minutes more each night, doing 4.5 additional minutes of brisk walking and eating an extra 50g or so of vegetables each day can significantly reduce a person’s risk of heart attack, a new study has found.

Academics found these small changes could help people avoid major cardiovascular events, including heart attacks and strokes, by about 10%. Small behaviour changes are more “achievable and sustainable”, the research team said.