Here are three sleeping habits you should eliminate if you want to maintain youthfulness and long-lasting health:

1. Frequently Staying Up Late
Staying up late regularly not only leads to fatigue but also accelerates aging and increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases. Research published in the European Heart Journal - Digital Health shows that those who tend to go to bed after midnight are 25% more likely to face heart-related risks.

Staying up late disrupts melatonin hormone production, causing an imbalance in the body’s biological rhythm and leading to high blood pressure. If this continues, the cardiovascular system weakens, increasing the risk of heart attacks or strokes. Additionally, staying up late can elevate stress, inflammation, and accelerate the aging process.

The ideal time to go to sleep to protect heart health is between 10 and 11 PM. This is the best period for the body to enter deep rest, reducing cardiovascular risks and enhancing sleep quality and immunity.

2. Irregular Sleep Hours
Many people mistakenly believe that sleeping 6-8 hours a night or catching up on sleep over the weekend can fix the effects of sleep deprivation. However, quality sleep requires at least 80% of sleep to be during the night, and maintaining a consistent sleep schedule is also crucial. According to a study published in the Sleep Health journal, those with irregular sleep habits may experience a biological age up to 9 months older than those who maintain a regular sleep schedule.

Going to bed late or frequently changing sleep hours not only disrupts the biological rhythm but also causes chronic stress for the body. The consequences include early aging and increased risks of cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and memory loss. Therefore, it’s important to aim for consistent sleep and wake-up times, even on weekends.

3. Sleeping Too Much or Too Little
Both insufficient and excessive sleep can harm your health. A study from JAMA Network Open in 2021 found that maintaining about 7 hours of sleep per night can significantly reduce the risk of death from various causes, particularly cardiovascular diseases.

Insufficient sleep (less than 6 hours per night) can increase the risk of heart disease, diabetes, obesity, and weaken the immune system, as the body doesn’t have enough time to recover and balance hormones. On the other hand, excessive sleep (more than 9 hours per night) is also harmful; it can increase the risk of stroke, memory loss, and premature death. Both conditions disrupt the body’s biological rhythm, causing dysfunction, rapid aging, and reduced lifespan.

It’s also important not to sleep immediately after eating or showering. Create a comfortable, quiet, and dark space for sleep, and avoid using electronic devices or consuming stimulating drinks before bedtime.