Stress is a very common issue for Americans. In fact, a 2017 study by the American Psychological Association found that 45% of Americans had lain awake at night in the past month due to stress. While a normal, healthy level of stress can be good, motivating you to get things done and meet your professional and personal goals, long-term, high-level stress can have a lot of negative effects on your body, with one majorly impacted area being your sleep. 

Are you guilty of “irregular” sleep patterns — having no regular bedtime and wakeup schedule, or getting varying amounts of sleep each night? For many, it can be an all-too-easy habit to slip into — but although perhaps not common knowledge, the potential negative effects of irregular sleep are significant. One new study proved just how great this concern can be, linking irregular sleep in older adults to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD).