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Healthnotes Newswire (January 8, 2009)—Everyone knows that sleep has important mental and physical benefits, and now new research suggests that getting more than eight hours of sleep per night may reduce the risk of developing calcium deposits in the arteries of the heart (coronary arteries) that can lead to heart disease.

Calcium deposits, or calcifications, in the coronary arteries are more common in people who have other risk factors for heart disease such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, a family history of heart disease, and in people over age 65, men, and people who smoke. These calcifications are a significant risk factor for heart disease, which can cause heart attacks and even death. With this new study, getting enough sleep joins the standard recommendations for healthy diet, exercise, and treating chronic conditions such as high blood pressure that are associated with heart disease. (more…)