Those who get less than six hours of sleep or longer than eight hours are more prone to suffering heart problems than those who get six to eight hours of sleep every night, according to a study.

Previous small scale studies have been confirmed by a recent US study on the link between heart ailments and sleep duration.

A nationally representative sample of 3,000 people participated in the recent study, in which the subjects were asked regarding their sleep patterns and heart problems, such as congestive heart failure, heart attack, coronary artery disease, angina or stroke.

The study, known as National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, involved people who are 45 years old and above.

The researchers found that those who said they got too little sleep each night were twice more likely to suffer a stroke or heart attack, and they are 1.6 or almost two times more likely to have congestive heart failure than people who slept for at least six hours and no longer than eight hours each night.

In contrast, people who said they slept more than eight hours every night were twice more likely to have angina, which is a heart problem related to chest pain from insufficient blood flow. They are also 1.1 times more likely to suffer coronary artery disease.

"We now have an indication that sleep can impact heart health, and it should be a priority," said principal researcher Rohit Arora, chairman of cardiology and professor of medicine, at the Chicago Medical School.

Dr. Arora said their findings imply that getting six to eight hours of sleep everyday seem to be a way to lessen risk of cardiovascular diseases.

In its website, the National Sleep Foundation says no study can specify an exact amount of sleep appropriate for people at different ages, but adults are advised to sleep from seven to nine hours.