(November 10, 2008 - Insidermedicine) Getting a good night’s sleep may be an important component of heart health, according to research published in the Archives of Internal Medicine.

Here are some tips to help you get a good night’s sleep:

•    Do not eat or drink too much before bedtime, but consider a light snack before bed to ease any nagging hunger pangs.

•    Avoid any food or drink that contains caffeine for at least six hours before bedtime.

•    Develop a regular exercise routine, but do not exercise too close to bedtime.

Japanese researchers monitored the daily sleep duration, blood pressure, and heart health of over 1,000 elderly men with high blood pressure for an average of over four years.

Sleeping less than 7.5 hours a night was associated with a higher risk for cardiovascular disease. Also, the combination of a shorter sleep duration and a pattern of higher average blood pressure at night than during the day work together to increase the risk of cardiovascular disease.

Today’s research provides another reason to get a good night’s sleep, especially for older individuals with high blood pressure.