Night Owl Lifestyle Linked to Higher Heart Attack and Stroke Risk

Staying up late may carry long-term consequences for heart health, according to a large new study that links an “evening-type” lifestyle with a higher risk of heart attack and stroke.

Researchers analyzing health data from more than 320,000 adults in the United Kingdom found that people who identify as night owls had significantly poorer cardiovascular health profiles compared to those with intermediate or morning-type sleep patterns. The findings were published in the Journal of the American Heart Association.

The study assessed participants aged 39 to 74 using the American Heart Association’s Life’s Essential 8 framework, which measures cardiovascular health through behaviors such as diet, physical activity, sleep duration, and nicotine use, along with clinical factors including blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol, and body mass index.

Evening-type individuals were found to be 79 percent more likely to have poor overall heart health scores. They also showed a 16 percent higher risk of both heart attack and stroke compared to those with more balanced sleep schedules. Morning-type participants, by contrast, demonstrated slightly better heart health outcomes.

Researchers emphasized that the elevated risk was not caused by late sleep timing alone. Instead, roughly three-quarters of the increased cardiovascular risk among night owls was explained by associated lifestyle and metabolic factors. Smoking emerged as the strongest contributor, accounting for more than one-third of the added risk, followed by shorter sleep duration, high blood sugar levels, body weight, and diet quality.

The analysis also revealed gender differences. Women with evening-type sleep patterns were far more likely to have poor cardiovascular health scores than men, a trend researchers linked to added social and caregiving pressures that disrupt recovery and rest.

Experts say the findings highlight a broader conflict between biological rhythms and social schedules. When people with naturally late internal clocks are forced to operate in early-morning routines, unhealthy behaviors may accumulate over time.

With heart disease remaining the leading cause of death in many countries, researchers stress that prevention efforts should focus on realistic lifestyle improvements for night-time individuals, including smoking cessation, consistent sleep timing, and small, sustainable changes to daily activity and diet.