WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Adults who like to stay up late may be putting their heart health at risk, according to a new study. The research found that 'night owls' are more likely to have heart problems than people who are active earlier in the day.
The study, published in the Journal of the American Heart Association and partly funded by the American Heart Association, looked at middle-aged and older adults. It found that people who are more active in the evening generally had poorer heart health than those who are active during the daytime.
Researchers studied more than 320,000 adults aged 39 to 74 in the United Kingdom. Participants described themselves as morning people, evening people, or somewhere in between. The researchers then reviewed their health details, including diet, weight, smoking habits, exercise, blood pressure, and cholesterol. These factors were used to calculate a heart health score called Life's Essential 8.
The results showed that night owls were 79 percent more likely to have poor overall heart health. They also had a 16 percent higher risk of having a heart attack or stroke over about 14 years, compared with people who were neither strong morning nor evening types.
'Evening people may be more likely to have behaviors that can affect cardiovascular health, such as poorer diet quality, smoking, and inadequate or irregular sleep,' said study co-author Sina Kianersi.
However, the researchers noted that making simple lifestyle changes, such as improving diet and activity habits, can help improve heart health even for people who stay up late.
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