Curated News
By: NewsRamp Editorial Staff
January 28, 2026
Night Owls Face Higher Heart Risks, Especially Women, Study Finds
TLDR
- Night owls can gain a health advantage by improving lifestyle habits like sleep and diet to reduce their 16% higher heart disease risk compared to morning people.
- The study analyzed UK Biobank data from 300,000 adults, finding evening chronotypes had 79% higher poor cardiovascular health prevalence due to factors like smoking and inadequate sleep.
- Helping night owls adopt healthier habits could reduce heart disease risks, creating a healthier society where circadian differences are accommodated through targeted interventions.
- Evening people's body clocks may not match daylight cycles, but adjusting behaviors like sleep timing can significantly improve their cardiovascular health outcomes.
Impact - Why it Matters
This research matters because it connects our natural sleep-wake preferences—something many people consider just a personality trait—to concrete cardiovascular outcomes affecting millions. With heart disease remaining the leading cause of death globally, understanding how chronotype influences health behaviors provides crucial insights for personalized prevention strategies. The findings suggest that approximately 8% of adults who identify as definite evening types may need targeted support to overcome circadian challenges that make healthy habits more difficult. For healthcare providers, this research underscores the importance of considering patients' natural rhythms when designing treatment plans and lifestyle interventions. For individuals who struggle with evening preferences, the study offers both a warning about potential risks and practical hope—since the identified risk factors (smoking, poor diet, inadequate sleep) are modifiable through conscious effort and potentially through chronotype-aligned interventions. This bridges the gap between biological predisposition and personal agency in heart health management.
Summary
New research published in the Journal of the American Heart Association reveals a significant link between being a "night owl" and poorer cardiovascular health, particularly among middle-aged and older women. The study, analyzing data from over 300,000 UK Biobank participants with an average age of 57, found that self-identified "definitely evening people" (about 8% of participants) had a 79% higher prevalence of poor cardiovascular health scores compared to those with intermediate chronotypes. These night owls also faced a 16% increased risk of heart attack or stroke over approximately 14 years of follow-up, with researchers identifying unhealthy behaviors like smoking, poor diet quality, and inadequate sleep as key contributing factors.
The research utilized the American Heart Association's Life's Essential 8™ metrics to assess cardiovascular health, examining factors including diet, physical activity, smoking status, sleep quality, weight, cholesterol, blood sugar, and blood pressure. Lead author Sina Kianersi, Ph.D., D.V.M., from Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, explained that evening people often experience "circadian misalignment," where their internal body clock conflicts with natural light cycles and daily schedules, potentially leading to unhealthy lifestyle choices. Interestingly, the study found that "definitely morning people" (about 24% of participants) had a 5% lower prevalence of poor heart health scores compared to intermediate chronotypes.
Despite the concerning findings, researchers emphasize there's hope for night owls. According to Kristen Knutson, Ph.D., FAHA, who chaired the American Heart Association's 2025 statement on circadian health, the increased cardiovascular risks among evening types are largely due to modifiable behaviors rather than inherent biological flaws. The research suggests that targeted interventions considering individual chronotypes could help night owls improve their lifestyle habits and reduce heart disease risk. The study acknowledges limitations, including the predominantly white and generally healthy UK Biobank population, which may affect generalizability to other groups, and the reliance on self-reported chronotype data collected at a single time point.
Source Statement
This curated news summary relied on content disributed by NewMediaWire. Read the original source here, Night Owls Face Higher Heart Risks, Especially Women, Study Finds
