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When you go to sleep may impact heart health, scientists find. A large observational study connected night owls to an increased heart disease risk. Here, experts explain the recent findings and what they may mean for you.<\/p>\nWhen you go to sleep may impact heart health, scientists find. A large observational study connected night owls to an increased heart disease risk. Here, experts explain the recent findings and what they may mean for you.<\/p>\n
You\u2019ve heard the phrase \u201cearly bird gets the worm.\u201d According to new research, the early bird may also get a lower risk of heart disease<\/a>. A study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association<\/a> determined that \u201cnight owls,\u201d or people who stay up late, have a greater risk of heart disease and other negative cardiovascular health outcomes.<\/p>\n Meet the Experts: Allen Taylor, M.D.<\/a>, a cardiologist and chairman of cardiology at MedStar Heart and Vascular Institute; Carleara Weiss, Ph.D., M.S., R.N.<\/a>, a sleep scientist, assistant professor at the State University of New York, and sleep educator at Aeroflow Sleep.<\/p>\n Over a span of about 14 years, researchers examined the health data of nearly 323,000 participants, 39 to 74 years old, who were predominantly White, male, and initially free of known cardiovascular disease. They self-reported their sleep patterns and were given a score based on their adherence to the American Heart Association\u2019s Life Essential Eight<\/a> (LE8) elements for good heart health: balanced diet, physical activity, low nicotine exposure, quality sleep, appropriate body mass index, blood lipids, blood glucose, and blood pressure measurements. A high score meant good adherence, and a low score meant low adherence.<\/p>\n After an average of 14 years, researchers identified heart attack and stroke prevalence in participants and compared the instances to their LE8 scores. Those who were self-proclaimed night owls and had lower scores were among the most affected by heart events, which led researchers to determine that night owls had a 16% higher risk of experiencing a heart attack or stroke compared to \u201cdefinite\u201d morning people or those who had an \u201cintermediate sleep-wake preference,\u201d meaning they fell somewhere in between a morning person and a night owl.<\/p>\n Specifically, researchers identified that increased heart disease risk in night owls was largely driven by poor diet, high nicotine use, poor sleep, infrequent exercise, high body weight, and unmanaged blood sugar.<\/p>\n However, \u201cWhen these risk factors were accounted for statistically, the excess cardiovascular risk associated with being a night owl was largely eliminated,\u201d says Allen Taylor, M.D.<\/a>, a cardiologist and chairman of cardiology at MedStar Heart and Vascular Institute. That means the findings indicate an association, rather than causation, between delayed sleep and heart health. But sleep remains an important pillar.<\/p>\n How sleep affects heart health<\/p>\n Each individual\u2019s circadian rhythm<\/a> varies slightly, but the human brain is in large part influenced by light (or lack thereof) to release the hormones necessary to wake up and fall asleep, which is why most of us feel tired when it gets dark and energized by sunlight. So, it makes sense that resisting such a natural cycle may encourage poor health.<\/p>\n \u201cSleep supports cardiovascular health through physiological changes in heart rate and blood pressure,\u201d says Carleara Weiss, Ph.D., M.S., R.N.<\/a>, a sleep scientist, assistant professor at the State University of New York, and sleep educator at Aeroflow Sleep.<\/p>\n \u201cAdequate sleep duration and quality also regulate immune function and hormone levels, and reduce inflammatory response,\u201d Weiss adds. \u201cOxygen saturation is another important aspect of sleep, and cardiovascular health is negatively impacted in people with untreated obstructive sleep apnea.\u201d (Sleep apnea<\/a> is characterized by lack of oxygen during sleep.)<\/p>\n Sleep also regulates the hormones ghrelin, which signals hunger, and leptin, which signals satiety, she explains. Therefore, poor sleep may trigger cravings for high-fat and processed foods, promoting weight gain and, therefore, potentially leading to negative heart health impacts.<\/p>\n How to get better sleep<\/p>\n \u201cBehavioral changes are often the first step in readjusting sleep and circadian rhythms,\u201d says Weiss. This might mean shifting bedtimes or using light therapy when needed to cue your body to wake up (like the Hatch alarm clock<\/a>). Of course, changing the modifiable LE8 factors\u2014like diet and exercise\u2014can also inherently improve lifestyle and sleep routines, notes Dr. Taylor. It\u2019s all connected.<\/p>\n