When You Sleep Matters: How Late Nights Affect Your Heart

People who hit the hay past midnight on weekdays might be doing more harm than they realize. New research shows that late bedtimes can mess with your heart health. It's not just about how much you sleep, but when you sleep that counts. The body has a natural clock, called the circadian rhythm. This internal timer controls when you feel sleepy or awake and manages important functions like blood pressure and heart rate. When you stay up late, you throw this rhythm off balance. Over time, this can put extra stress on your heart and blood vessels. A study looked at over 4, 500 adults and tracked their sleep patterns for more than a decade. The findings were clear: those who went to bed after midnight on weekdays had a higher risk of heart attacks. This wasn't just about getting less sleep; it was about the timing. Even after considering other risk factors like smoking and high blood pressure, the link between late bedtimes and heart risk remained strong.So, why does staying up late hurt your heart? For one, it messes with melatonin, a hormone that helps control blood pressure and repair blood vessels. Low melatonin can lead to higher blood pressure and more inflammation. Late nights also often mean poorer sleep quality and habits that harm the heart, like eating late or spending too much time in front of screens. The good news? Keeping a regular bedtime can help protect your heart. Going to bed at the same time every night supports your body's internal clock and gives your cardiovascular system a chance to rest and repair. Experts suggest that improving sleep habits could be a simple but effective way to support heart health.