Frequent readers of this blog understand the healthful benefits of a good night’s sleep – from reducing weight to improved mental and physical health. Now the  American Heart Association (AHA) agrees, saying it good sleep can support heart health and general health.

The AHA’s “Life’s Essential 8” initiative has added sleep to the list of modifiable factors that support heart health and overall wellness.

The other seven factors are:

• cholesterol,
• diet,
• exercise,
• tobacco use,
• blood sugar,
• weight (BMI), and
• blood pressure.

Another change is that now instead of including total cholesterol, the list only factors in triglycerides and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol.

“Sleep is changeable, and studies show that you can improve aspects of heart health just by improving sleep,” one of the researchers told EveryDay Health.

Most adults need at least seven hours of sleep each night, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). More than one-third of adults under 65 years old get less sleep than this, CDC data shows.

People who get less than six hours a night are at increased risk for obesity, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, and worse mental and cognitive health. And those who sleep more than nine hours nightly are also less likely to be healthy and more likely to die prematurely, the researchers add.

Full Story: Everyday Health. See also: Sleep 101: The Ultimate Guide to a Better Night’s Sleep.

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