Night owls can be almost twice as likely to develop hardening of the arteries as early birds.
Hardened arteries, caused by the build-up of fatty deposits in the blood vessels, are more common in older people with high blood pressure and high cholesterol and increase the risk of a heart attack or stroke.
Researchers studied 771 people aged 50 to 64 to find out if the condition is more common in night owls, who tend to wake up later and go to bed later and are more energetic in the afternoon and evening.
They found that people who said they were true night owls were 90 percent more likely to develop hardening of the arteries than people who said they were true early birds.
About 17 percent of people say they are definitely night owls, although this category excludes people who say they are “to some extent.”
Researchers studied 771 people aged 50 to 64 to find out if the condition is more common in night owls, who tend to wake up later and go to bed later and are more energetic in the afternoon and evening. They found that people who said they were true night owls were 90 percent more likely to develop hardening of the arteries than people who said they were true early birds.
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There is evidence that being a night owl, rather than being particularly active during the day, as is common in humans, can work against our natural body clock.
This time difference is linked to high blood pressure and inflammation, which can damage and harden the arteries.
The fatty deposits that cause the hardening can then burst and form blood clots, which can lead to heart attacks and strokes.
However, night owls also tend to lead an unhealthy lifestyle, such as poor nutrition, which can also increase the risk of hardening of the arteries.
Mio Kobayashi Frisk, who led the research at the University of Gothenburg in Sweden, said: “People who are night owls should be aware of the possible link with calcified arteries and perhaps try not to go to bed too late if they are tired not.”
“Because they may be in a risk group for cardiovascular disease, they may want to consider lifestyle changes such as: B. a healthy diet as well as enough sleep and exercise.”
The study, published in the journal Sleep Medicine, looked at people who had been asked in previous research whether they were “definitely” a morning or evening person, “somewhat” a morning or evening person, or neither .
Hardened arteries occurred in about 22 percent of early risers, compared to nearly 41 percent of true night owls.
Those who said they were serious evening people were 90 percent more likely than true morning people to have hardened arteries, after other factors such as weight, physical activity and alcohol consumption were taken into account.
The researchers then examined people’s risk of developing cardiovascular disease in the next ten years. This risk is determined by age, gender, blood pressure, “bad” cholesterol levels and smoking habits.
Night owls at high risk of cardiovascular disease were apparently 15 times more likely to have calcified arteries than other people at low risk of cardiovascular disease.
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Crystal Leahy is an author and health journalist who writes for The Fashion Vibes. With a background in health and wellness, Crystal has a passion for helping people live their best lives through healthy habits and lifestyles.
