Overview

• Earlier sleep and wake times, higher sleep maintenance efficiency, and lower night-to-night variability at age 15 were associated with better cardiovascular health at age 22.
• Researchers tracked 307 youths using wrist actigraphy for one week at age 15 and measured their heart health seven years later with the American Heart Association’s Life’s Essential 8 framework.
• Total sleep time during adolescence did not significantly predict cardiovascular outcomes after adjusting for demographic and lifestyle factors.
• While the American Academy of Sleep Medicine recommends eight to ten hours of nightly sleep for teens, this study highlights that timing, quality, and regularity are equally important for long-term heart wellness.
• Presented at the SLEEP 2025 meeting and backed by National Institutes of Health funding, the research calls for comprehensive adolescent sleep programs to protect future cardiovascular health.