Khaberni - Recent scientific studies have shown that individuals who prefer staying up late and waking up late – a pattern known as "night owls" – may be more prone to cardiovascular diseases, including heart attacks and strokes, compared to those who sleep and wake up earlier or at regular times.
The main study was conducted on more than 300,000 adults in the United Kingdom over 14 years using a large database known as the UK Biobank and was published in the Journal of the American Heart Association, a peer-reviewed journal specializing in cardiovascular diseases, operated by the American Heart Association.
The study revealed that the late sleep pattern is associated with:
Up to a 16% increase in the risk of a first stroke or heart attack compared to individuals with moderate sleep schedules.
Higher indicators of weaker heart health, including lifestyle-related risk factors.
A stronger association between the late sleep pattern and health problems in women compared to men.
Why this risk?
Expert researchers associate this risk with a number of factors related to the late sleep pattern, including:
1. The mismatch of the biological clock with lifestyle: Staying up late disrupts the body's biological clock (circadian rhythm), resulting in a dysfunction in the secretion of sleep hormones and metabolism, and negatively affects cardiovascular strength.
2. Unhealthy lifestyle habits: Night owls tend to have irregular meal times, lower physical activity, higher stress levels, and higher probabilities of smoking, all of which are factors that increase heart risks.
3. The effect of interrupted or insufficient sleep: Even individuals who get sufficient hours of sleep may be at risk if their sleeping times are irregular, which disrupts the body’s natural rhythm and affects long-term heart health.
How is the relationship between sleep and heart health measured?
Not all studies show that the late sleep pattern directly causes diseases, but there is a strong link between the timing of sleep and health outcomes, which includes:
Reduced insulin sensitivity.
Increased blood pressure.
Impaired body response to stress.
Metabolic disorders affecting cholesterol and fat levels.
According to the World Health Organization and health media, this pattern may lead to a deterioration of cardiovascular risk factors over the long term, making prevention and behavioral improvements very important.
What do previous research say about your sleep and heart health?
The studies are not limited to just one, as previous research has shown that:
Individuals who sleep irregularly or have significant differences between workday sleep and weekend sleep are more prone to cardiovascular health problems.
The comparison between those who sleep early and those who wake up late shows clear differences in metabolic functions, blood pressure, and cholesterol.
What do these results mean?
It is not necessarily that everyone who sleeps late will suffer from heart diseases, but they may be more susceptible if the late sleep pattern is accompanied by any of these factors:
Lack of activity.
Unhealthy diet.
Smoking or alcohol consumption.
Experts say that the sleep pattern is a modifiable factor, and improving it could significantly help reduce health risks
Approved health tips to improve your sleep and heart health
1. Set your sleep and wake times daily, even on weekends.
2. Avoid exposure to blue light before bedtime (phones and computers).
3. Regularly engage in physical activity.
4. Reduce caffeine and sugar in the evening.
5. Maintain a quiet and dark sleeping environment.
