Study Links Sleep Imbalance to Heart Attacks
 (Chicago, Reuters Health, 1/27/03)

Dr. Najib T. Ayas of Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston reports that a study of more than 71,000 women links sleep duration with the health status of the heart. The researchers found that sleeping a greater or lesser number of hours than 8 per night, was linked to an increased risk of cardiac problems. Although scientists had previously linked sleep deprivation with high blood pressure, the reason for the correlation between excessive sleep and heart disease is not clear.