SPEAKIN’ OUT NEWS
People who naturally remain awake late may face greater cardiovascular risks, but researchers say practical lifestyle changes can help protect their health.
The study was led by Dr. Sina Kianersi, a research fellowin the Division of Sleep and Circadian Disorders at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School. Researchers analyzed UK Biobank information from more than 300,000 adults and followed participants for approximately 14 years.
Night owls had a 16 percent higher risk of experiencing a first heart attack or stroke than people with more typical sleep schedules. They were also 79 percent more likely to have an overall poor cardiovascular-health score. The relationship between evening schedules and poorer heart health was especially pronounced among women.
The findings were published January 28 in the peer-reviewed Journal of the American Heart Association. The research received support from the American Heart Association, the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute and the National Institute on Aging.
The study does not prove that staying up late directly causes heart disease. Researchers found that much of the elevated risk was connected to modifiable behaviors, including smoking, insufficient sleep and unhealthy eating.
Dr. Kristen Knutson, an associate professor at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, told The Associated Press that night owls are not inherently less healthy. Knutson, who was not involved in the study, said evening-oriented people face circumstances that make healthy routines especially important.
Experts recommend maintaining consistent sleeping and waking times, avoiding tobacco, exercising regularly, and monitoring blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar, and weight. Planning nutritious late-night meals may also help when healthy food is difficult to find.
Being a night owl is not a diagnosis—and a person’s preferred schedule does not determine their destiny.