diff --git a/doc/changes/devel/12968.bugfix.rst b/doc/changes/devel/12968.bugfix.rst
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..a512cc34ad6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/doc/changes/devel/12968.bugfix.rst
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Gracefully handle invalid patient info when reading EDF files by `Scott Huberty`_.
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/mne/io/edf/edf.py b/mne/io/edf/edf.py
index 59ea7ab4870..bb79c46f24a 100644
--- a/mne/io/edf/edf.py
+++ b/mne/io/edf/edf.py
@@ -824,10 +824,19 @@ def _read_edf_header(
                     for info in id_info[4:]:
                         if "=" in info:
                             key, value = info.split("=")
+                            err = f"patient {key} info cannot be {value}, skipping."
                             if key in ["weight", "height"]:
-                                patient[key] = float(value)
+                                try:
+                                    patient[key] = float(value)
+                                except ValueError:
+                                    logger.debug(err)
+                                    continue
                             elif key in ["hand"]:
-                                patient[key] = int(value)
+                                try:
+                                    patient[key] = int(value)
+                                except ValueError:
+                                    logger.debug(err)
+                                    continue
                             else:
                                 warn(f"Invalid patient information {key}")