• Poor sleep linked to chronic disease — The statement noted that most U.S. adults report at least some sleep difficulties, and that poor sleep health is more common in lower-income communities and among historically underrepresented racial and ethnic groups — disparities seen across the lifespan. Poor sleep health has been associated with obesity, glucose intolerance, high blood pressure, heart disease, and stroke.

• Short and long sleep durations are both linked to disease risk — In observational research, sleeping less than seven hours or more than nine hours was strongly tied to a greater risk of obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease.

• Irregular sleep schedules compound the risk — Day-to-day variability in sleep timing has been associated with a greater risk of cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, inflammation, and obesity. In one large study, highly irregular sleep was linked to a nearly twofold increased risk of dying from cardiovascular disease.

Findings on blood sugar instability are more mixed — one review found no link between irregular sleep and insulin resistance — though U.K. Biobank data tied irregular sleep to a higher risk of Type 2 diabetes, even in people who got enough sleep.

• Daytime tiredness signals bigger problems — Excessive daytime sleepiness has been associated with a higher risk of cardiovascular disease, coronary heart disease, stroke, and early death, as well as obesity and Type 2 diabetes — and the relationship appears to run in both directions.

• Poor sleep satisfaction and missed sleep stages matter — Reduced satisfaction with sleep and disrupted sleep continuity have been associated with high blood pressure, arterial stiffness, coronary heart disease, and poorer blood vessel function — though not with every outcome studied.

Evidence on sleep architecture, which is the balance of stages like deep (slow-wave) sleep and REM (dream) sleep, remains limited, so the featured statement's authors left it out of their main summary. One meta-analysis they cite did find that disrupting slow-wave sleep led to greater insulin resistance compared with undisturbed sleep.

• Getting more sleep appears to help — The intervention studies available have mostly tested lengthening sleep duration, and increasing sleep duration has generally had a beneficial effect on cardiometabolic risk factors. However, none of these studies has addressed every dimension of sleep health at once.

• Catch-up sleep may be a useful backup — Regular bedtimes and wake times seven days a week are the ideal goal, but for people who can't get enough sleep on workdays, extending it by up to one to two hours on days off has been associated with favorable cardiovascular outcomes (in the few studies available).

Short naps of under 30 minutes were not significantly associated with most cardiovascular outcomes in adults younger than 60, although napping in general was linked to higher cardiometabolic risk. For deeper insight into this topic, read “Napping Behaviors Predict Mortality Risk in Middle- to Older-Aged Adults.”

• Lifestyle changes may help your sleep, too — Weight loss has been associated with remission of excessive daytime sleepiness, which the authors cite as a sign that lifestyle changes can benefit multidimensional sleep health.

• Sleep regularity stood out — In large observational studies using objective measures, more consistent sleep-wake timing was associated with a 22% to 57% lower risk of dying from cardiovascular disease.

• Sleep quality matters alongside sleep quantity — Feeling rested and staying asleep through the night were each linked to heart health in their own right. One meta-analysis found that insomnia symptoms combined with objectively measured short sleep were more strongly associated with high blood pressure than either one alone.

• Circadian disruption may set off a chain reaction — Sleeping at odd times or waking frequently can send mixed signals to your brain and hormones, which may throw off blood sugar regulation and heart function. In cohort studies cited in the featured statement, later wake times and later sleep midpoints were associated with higher fasting glucose and insulin resistance.

• Poor sleep is linked to inflammation — The statement lists inflammation among the risk factors associated with poor sleep health, and irregular sleep timing has been associated with higher inflammation. Persistent low-grade inflammation is thought to contribute to blood vessel damage and plaque buildup over time.

• Loss of deep sleep may impair recovery — Missing out on slow-wave sleep — the deep, restorative phase — may leave your cardiovascular and metabolic systems with less opportunity for overnight recovery. The featured statement notes that research on how specific sleep stages affect cardiovascular risk is still limited, and calls for more of it.

1. Make your bedroom pitch black at night — If your bedroom isn't completely dark, your body keeps getting signals that it's daytime. That glow from your phone, alarm clock or even a streetlight sneaking through the window disrupts your melatonin production. Melatonin is the hormone that tells your body it's time to sleep and repair. Most of your body's melatonin, however, is produced inside your mitochondria in response to near-infrared light exposure — one more reason daytime sunlight matters.

I recommend blackout curtains and unplugging unnecessary electronics. Your room should be so dark you cannot see your hand in front of your face. This simple step helps your brain shift into deeper, more restful sleep.

2. Get outside for natural sunlight within 15 minutes of waking up — Your brain uses bright morning light as one of its strongest cues for resetting your internal clock. If you roll out of bed and head straight for your phone or computer, your body misses this important reset.

I suggest stepping outside, without sunglasses or windows blocking you, as soon as possible after waking. Even five minutes helps. If you work inside all day, make it a point to take a quick walk in the morning. Morning sunlight helps strengthen your circadian rhythm, supports your mood and helps keep your hormone rhythms on track for the rest of the day.

3. Cut off blue light exposure after sunset — Your body needs darkness after sunset to start winding down. Blue light from phones, tablets, TVs and laptops suppresses melatonin and may keep your cortisol levels elevated. This tricks your brain into thinking it's still daytime, making it harder to fall asleep and stay asleep.

I recommend shutting down all screens at sunset. If you need to be on a device, wear amber-tinted glasses or use the warmest night mode settings possible. Small adjustments like these may help lower stress hormones and set you up for better sleep.

4. Drop your bedroom temperature between 60 and 68 degrees Fahrenheit — Your body needs to cool down at night to reach deep, restorative sleep stages. A room that's too warm can contribute to restless sleep, night sweats, and early wakeups. Try setting your thermostat to the low 60s before bed.

If you tend to get cold easily, add layers to your bedding rather than heating the room. Keeping the air cool while staying cozy under breathable blankets helps your body stay asleep longer and cycle naturally through the important stages of sleep.

5. Turn off electromagnetic fields (EMFs) in your sleeping area — Your nervous system responds to EMFs like Wi-Fi signals, cellphones and plugged-in electronics — even if you don't feel it consciously. These signals may interrupt your sleep cycles and raise your stress levels at night.

I strongly encourage you to unplug any devices near your bed, shut off your Wi-Fi router overnight and move your phone out of the bedroom. For an even bigger impact, flip the circuit breaker to your bedroom before you sleep. Removing these invisible stressors gives your body a clean, quiet environment to heal and recharge.