Some people rise before dawn to set up their day, start chores, and watch the sun rise. These people need to go to bed early to get their sleep. And then there are those who stay up late into the night, even to the early morning hours. By doing so, they have no way to attend an early-morning meeting. Their day begins around noon, long after others have started their day. Does it matter if you wake up early or later? As long as the work gets done? Research has definite opinions about that.
Researchers
The Journal of the American Heart Association found that people who naturally stay up late, night owls, are more likely to have poor heart health than people with more traditional sleep-wake schedules.
The average age of each participant was 57. Each completed a questionnaire about their chronotypes, the time of day when they’re naturally most energetic and active. About 24% of respondents said they considered themselves to be a “morning person,” while 8% said they were an “evening person.” The 67% majority, which researchers dubbed the “intermediate” group, said they fell somewhere in between.
Measurements
The team used the American Heart Association’s Life’s Essential 8 metrics to assign each participant a heart health score from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating a healthier heart. The behaviors that affect biological aging are sleep quality, weight, nutrition, blood sugar, blood pressure, cholesterol, smoking status, and physical activity.
The average heart health score for all participants was 67.4. Women, on average, had better heart health than men. Compared with the intermediate group, night owls had a 79% higher prevalence of poor heart health, defined by a score below 50.
Additionally, across a follow-up period of 14 years, night owls had a 16% higher risk of having heart attacks or strokes compared with the intermediate group. Early birds were not at increased risk.
Risk Factors
Researchers observed strong associations between evening wakefulness and low scores in two categories: sleep and nicotine exposure. However, even night people can strengthen their heart health. Quitting nicotine and getting 7-9 hours of sleep at a time will benefit your heart.
As you look at yourself, one simple way to live longer is to get enough sleep. Are you?
