Skip to main content

Being a 'Night Owl' Could Be Tough on Your Arteries

Medically reviewed by Carmen Pope, BPharm. Last updated on Dec 27, 2023.

By Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter

WEDNESDAY, Dec. 27, 2023 -- Hardened arteries are almost twice as common in night owls as in early birds, a new study shows.

About two in five people (40%) who stay up very late had severely hardened arteries, compared with 22% of people who wake early, according to the report in the journal Sleep Medicine.

“The individual circadian rhythm also appears to be an important risk factor for atherosclerosis,” said senior study author Ding Zou, a researcher at the University of Gothenburg’s Sahlgrenska Academy in Sweden.

Further, the findings indicate that “circadian rhythms are more significant early in the disease process,” Zou added in a university news release. “It should therefore particularly be considered in the preventive treatment of cardiovascular disease.”

Previous research has shown that people with late-night habits have an increased risk of heart disease, but this is the first study to show that sleep rhythms are related to a specific heart health risk factor, the researchers said.

For the study, the team analyzed data from nearly 800 men and women between the ages of 50 and 64 who were participating in a large-scale imaging study of diseases of the heart, lungs and blood vessels.

Participants were sorted into one of five groups based on their “chronotype” -- the natural inclination to sleep at a certain time.

These groups were typed as extreme morning, moderate morning, intermediate, moderate evening or extreme evening.

CT scans showed that night owls had nearly twice as much atherosclerosis as early birds, even after accounting for other heart health factors like blood pressure, cholesterol, weight, exercise, stress and smoking.

Atherosclerosis involves fatty deposits accumulating on the inside of the arteries, clogging blood flow.

“Our results indicate that extreme evening chronotype may be linked not only to poorer cardiovascular health in general, but also more specifically to calcification in the coronary arteries calcification and atherosclerosis,” said lead researcher Mio Kobayashi Frisk, a doctoral student at the University of Gothenburg.

Sources

  • University of Gothenburg, news release, Dec. 21, 2023

Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.

© 2024 HealthDay. All rights reserved.

Posted December 2023

Read this next

Night Owls Could Be Upping Their Mental Health Risks

FRIDAY, May 31, 2024 -- People who regularly stay up until the wee hours of the morning could be harming their mental health, a new study finds. Regardless of whether people were...

Does It Matter What You Eat or Drink Before Bed?

SUNDAY, May 19, 2024 -- If you suddenly find yourself craving food or drink right before you head to bed, one expert suggests you steer clear of big meals and caffeine. "From a...

Is Your Child Ready for Summer Sleepaway Camp?

FRIDAY, May 17, 2024 -- Sleepaway camp can be a lot of fun for kids, but only if they’re ready for the experience. And that’s the tough part -- figuring out as a...

More news resources

Subscribe to our newsletter

Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.