Study finds sleep could lower the risk of heart attacks

An extra hour in bed could help prevent the risk of heart attacks, new research has found.

According to a study by the University of Chicago, which was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, those who regularly slept for longer periods of time were less likely to have calcified arteries.

This can be a key danger sign pointing towards a heart attack.

Study leader Dr Christopher King said: "We have found an association between sleep duration and five-year incidence of coronary-artery calcification."

In the research, doctors measured sleep duration and artery health in 500 people aged 35-47.

After five years, 27 per cent of those who slept less than five hours a night were found to have calcified arteries.

In related news, a study presented at a conference held by the American Association for Cancer Research found that a combination of exercise and plenty of sleep can reduce the risk of cancer.

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