Being a “night owl” may come with a hidden downside for heart health, according to new research tracking sleep patterns and cardiovascular risk. A large study found that adults who preferred late nights had poorer overall heart health scores and a higher risk of heart attack and stroke compared with people whose sleep schedules fell in the middle range.
The research analyzed data from more than 320,000 adults in the U.K. and used a widely recognized heart health scoring system that includes sleep, diet, activity, nicotine exposure, blood pressure, body weight, blood sugar and cholesterol-related measures. People who identified as evening types were significantly more likely to score poorly overall and had a 16% higher risk of heart attack and stroke.
Researchers suggested the risk was not only about sleep timing itself, but about habits that often come with late nights, including nicotine use, shorter sleep and higher blood sugar. The findings add to growing evidence that consistent sleep routines — along with other everyday health behaviors — may play an important role in protecting the heart over time.
SOURCE:
ABC News, January 28, 2026