Sleep "essential" for heart and brain health: AHA

The American Heart Association recently added sleep to its "Life's Simple 7" checklist as an eighth metric of cardiovascular health, transforming the checklist's name to "Life's Essential 8." Researchers at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health evaluated the addition of sleep for predicting future cardiovascular disease (CVD) in a study of about 2,000 middle-aged to older adults (mean age, 69; 54%, women) who participated in a sleep exam and provided comprehensive data on their sleep characteristics in an ongoing US study of CVD and CVD risk factors. Taken together, the findings highlight the benefits to active-aging organizations of prioritizing sleep -- and conditions conducive to better sleep -- for members and residents.