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night owl

Being A ‘Night Person’ Could Be Bad For Your Heart

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If you consider yourself more of a night owl, you may want to ensure you’re taking good care of your heart health. A large study has recently found that people who are more active late at night have poorer overall heart health when compared to the average person who goes to bed at a reasonable hour/gets the recommended amount of sleep every night. 

However, this doesn’t necessarily mean that those who tend to stay up late should be immediately frightened. Research fellow Sina Kianersi of Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, who led the study, said that “it’s not like night owls are doomed.” 

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“The challenge is the mismatch between your internal clock and typical daily schedules that make it harder to follow heart-healthy behaviors.”

Kianersi actually considers himself to be “sort of a night owl,” according to AP, and described how he feels a “boost in [his] analytical thinking” after about 7 or 8 at night. 

Heart health is extremely important, and heart disease alone is the leading cause of death in the US. The American Heart Association has a list of eight key factors that every individual should adopt for having and maintaining a healthy heart. These factors include getting enough sleep and having a healthy diet. 

When it comes to individuals who are considered night owls specifically, the impact on the heart has more so to do with the internal body’s circadian rhythm, “our master biological clock.”

That clock follows a roughly 24-hour schedule that regulates when we’re sleepy, and also wide awake, while keeping our organ systems in sync. This regulation impacts our heart rate, blood pressure, stress hormones, and metabolism. 

“Everybody’s circadian rhythm is a little different. Prior research had suggested night owls might have more health problems, as well as risk factors like higher rates of smoking and less physical activity than people with more typical bedtimes,” Kianersi said to AP. 

Kianersi’s team tracked over 300,000 middle-age and older adults in the UK Biobank, which is a large health database that includes information regarding individual’s sleep-wake preferences. 

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They found that around 8% of those people classified themselves as night owls, specifically meaning they’re more active both physically and mentally in the late afternoon or evening and are up past most people’s bedtime. Around 25% were early-birds and were more productive in the daylight hours and went to bed earlier. 

Over the course of 14 years, the night owls had a 16% higher risk of a first heart attack or stroke compared to the average population, the team found. 

The researchers reported their findings this week in the Journal of the American Heart Association. The report cited that especially in women night owls, there is an overall worse cardiovascular health based on meeting the heart association’s eight key factors. 

“It comes down to the problem of a night owl trying to live in a morning person’s world. They’re getting up early for work because that’s when their job starts but it may not align with their internal rhythm,” said Kristen Knutson of Northwestern University.

Knutson also stated that this impacts more than just sleep. One’s metabolism fluctuates throughout the day as the body produces insulin to turn food into energy, meaning it may be harder for a night owl to handle a high-calorie breakfast eaten earlier in the day. 

Kianersi said that even if you can’t get the ideal of at least seven hours of sleep a night, sticking to a regular bedtime and wake up time can help your body. 

“Focus on the basics, not perfection.” 

running

To Lower Heart Disease Risk, Men Need Twice As Much Exercise As Women

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According to new research published in Nature Cardiovascular Research, in order to reduce the risk of coronary heart disease, men need twice as much the amount of exercise as women. The scientists who were a part of the study said that healthy living guidelines need to take more of an account of the biological differences in the sexes to truly help everyone reduce the risk of developing heart disease, or other diseases for that matter. 

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Scientists in the study looked at physical activity records from over 80,000 people, according to reports. They found that the risk of heart disease decreased 30% in women who got up to 250 minutes of exercise every week, while men needed to hit 530 minutes (about nine hours) to have the same effect. 

The study also cited previous research which suggested that women benefit more than men from the same level and amount of exercise, however, it also showed that women are, in general, less physically active and less likely to meet the recommended targets. 

NHS guidelines state that men and women from ages 16 to 64 should do at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise, or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise per week, and also perform muscle-strengthening activities at least twice a week. 

“Compared with male individuals, females derive equivalent health benefits with only half the exercise time. The findings might have potential to encourage females to engage in physical activity,” the authors wrote. 

Utilizing the UK Biobank project, Dr. Jiajin Chen at Xiamen University in China and his team analyzed data from activity trackers worn by middle-aged volunteers. 

They initially reviewed data from 80,243 participants who did not have coronary heart disease. Within that group, women who did 150-minutes of exercise a week had a 22% lower risk of developing heart disease over eight years of following up when compared to those who did not reach that target. For men, the risk was 17% lower. 

The team revealed that it also showed that women could reduce their heart disease risk by 30% through exercising for 250 minutes a week. Men only achieved this rate by reaching 530 minutes of physical activity weekly. 

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The study also showed that of more than 5,000 men and women who already had coronary heart disease, the risk of dying was three times lower for women who met the weekly exercise target than for active men. 

Professor Yan Wang, a senior author on the paper, said “the work showed both sexes could gain substantial cardiovascular benefit from physical activity.” In general, it’s recommended that everyone gets regular exercise to maintain a healthy lifestyle and reduce the chances of experiencing health ailments and disease. 

“We particularly hope that our findings could encourage physically inactive females to become more active, thereby reducing their cardiovascular risk,” he said.

While the data showed a pattern, there is no conclusive evidence as to why exercise benefits women more than men in these findings. They hypothesized that it could be due to differences in hormone balances, muscle fibers, or digestion. 

In an accompanying article, Dr Emily Lau, a women’s cardiovascular health specialist at Massachusetts General hospital, stated: 

“This study provides further evidence that one size really does not fit all and challenges us to move from conversation to action. It is time to embed sex-specific strategies into guidelines and to develop tailored interventions to optimize cardiovascular health for women.”

heart

‘Gamechanger’ New Findings On Treating Heart Conditions Presented In Europe 

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The 2025 annual meeting at the European Society of Cardiology had doctors, scientists, and researchers presenting new findings on ways to tackle heart conditions, many of which are being considered major “gamechangers.”

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pill

A Single-Dose ‘Polypill’ Found To Be A Life Saving Drug

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A three-in-one drug combo was recently found and it helps those who have a history of heart attacks find a new way to stay healthy. 

In a recent clinical study led by Dr. Valentin Fuster, director of Mount Sinai in New York City, he studied roughly 2,499 patients across seven European countries. 

These patients have had a history of type 1 myocardial infarction within the last six months or were over the age of 75 or had a minimum age of 65 with at least one high risk faster.

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A handful of the patients were given the polypill that had aspirin, ramipril and atorvastatin while the other received typical care. The groups were followed over the next three years.

Typically after a patient suffers a heart attack, they are prescribed three different drugs. These usually are aspirin, ramipril or another drug for blood pressure and a cholesterol-lowering drug. 

However, usually less than 50% of patients take their prescriptions as they are prescribed by the doctor. 

“Although most patients initially adhere to treatment after an acute event such as an infarction [tissue death], adherence drops off after the first few months. Our goal was to have an impact right from the start, and most of the patients in the study began taking a simple polypill in the first week after having a heart attack” 

“The results were, frankly, very exciting,” said Fuster. 

After the study, the outcome was overwhelmingly positive. The results found that there was 24% reduction in heart disease or other heart problems.

The new drug also helped reveal that it helped cut the high risk of dying from cardiovascular disease by 33%. 

“The SECURE study findings suggest that the polypill could become an integral element of strategies to prevent recurrent cardiovascular events in patients who have had a heart attack. By simplifying treatment and improving adherence, this approach has the potential to reduce the risk of recurrent cardiovascular disease and death on a global scale,” said Fuster. 

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According to UPI, the polypill that has been used within the study still hasn’t been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration. However, Fuster believes that the positive results from the study could be submitted with an effort to hopefully gain approval.

“Combination pills are easier for the physician and for the patient, and the data is pretty clear – it translates into benefit,” said Dr. Thomas Wang, chair of the department of internal medicine at UT Southwestern Medical Center. 

The combination of the drugs, in this all in one pill, seems to help lead to the improvements and the patients well being, people may be more likely to stay on top of their medications to help them improve their health which is a win win.

Winter Hike

Woman Miraculously Survives After her Heart Stopped for Six Hours

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When Audrey Mash arrived at a Spanish hospital, she was cold to the touch, it had been hours since her last heartbeat, and her husband was convinced she had died. The British hiker had fallen victim to hypothermia during a hike in a cold, mountainous area after she was caught in a snowstorm. Initially, she had trouble speaking and moving before falling unconscious; her husband could not feel a pulse or her breath, and feared she had died while waiting beside her for several hours before emergency services arrived. When she was taken to the hospital, her body temperature was only 64.4 degrees, and doctors feared she would not survive, and even if she did, she would have severe neurological damage after being cut off from oxygen for so long. However, the hypothermia that almost killed her also ended up saving her life, as the cold temperature preserved her body, preventing her brain from deteriorating during this frightening period. Thanks to cutting-edge medical technology and the expertise of her medical staff, Mash made a nearly-full recovery, with only lingering numbness and tingling in her fingers due to nerve damage and amazingly, no brain damage.

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At the Vall ‘Hebron Hospital in Barcelona, Mash had turned blue and had no vital signs, as doctors worked to revive her despite their fears that she would die. However, the medical team, lead by Dr. Argudo, believed that Mash’s body would be preserved by the extreme cold, and used a specialized tool to bring her back to life. The tool is called an extracorporeal membrane oxygenation machine, and takes a patient’s blood, infuses it with oxygen and controls its temperature, and reintroduces the blood to the body. Normally, this tool is used on infants who have breathing or heart problems, and it had never before been used in a patient who was in Ms. Mash’s condition. Indeed, Ms. Mash’s case was perhaps the first time in history that a person had been revived after suffering cardiac arrest for six hours.

The doctors used the machine to slowly increase the temperature of Ms. Mash’s body, as all of her blood went through the cutting-edge tool. After her body temperature was raised sufficiently, the team used a defibrillator to restart her heart, advising her husband that there was a real chance she would suffer major brain damage as a result of the accident. However, these fears were alleviated two days later, after Ms. Mash was brought back into consciousness and started speaking with doctors. After she woke up, she immediately asked the doctors, “What am I doing here? Who are you?” which served as a positive sign as it showed that the patient had a strong presence of mind and awareness of her surroundings. Ms. Mash was kept in the hospital for 12 days, after which she returned to her husband, who was shocked and traumatized by the ordeal.

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Ms. Mash has no memory of the incident, and the last thing she remembers before waking up in the hospital is departing on the hike with her husband. As such, Ms. Mash has said during interviews that she was not emotionally affected by the near-death experience, and she has said that the ordeal had a greater psychological impact on the people around her, most significantly her husband and her parents, than it had on her. Ms. Mash plans on returning to work soon, as she is an English-language teacher in Barcelona. Ms. Mash, an avid fan of hiking, plans to continue her active lifestyle, and intends on going for a run before returning to work. In fact, doctors believe that Ms. Mash’s active lifestyle was an instrumental factor in her successful recovery, as her body is very healthy and thus able to recover from traumatic experiences more effectively. Ms. Mash wants to resume hiking again in due time, but notes that she will likely wait until the weather is warm before doing so.

Apple Watch

How to Choose a Heart Rate Monitor

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Monitoring your heart rate during a workout can provide you with a plethora of data relating to your performance and overall level of fitness, which can be tremendously valuable to people interested in tracking their progress in developing cardiovascular fitness over time. However, not every heart rate monitor is the same, and different models offer different levels of performance. Additionally, each brand of heart rate monitor offers a unique set of features, and while many products connect via Bluetooth to a smartphone, not every heart rate monitor is compatible with every fitness app. As such, this article will examine some of the top-selling heart rate monitors on the market to help you decide which is right for your individual needs.

In general, heart rate monitors come in two forms; either they strap to your chest, or your wrist. Chest strap heart monitors boast superior accuracy, particularly when one’s heart rate is especially high during an intense workout, whereas heart rate monitors used on the wrist generally offer smartwatch features as well, including sleep tracking, notifications from your phone, and automatic detection of exercise.

If you want the most accurate, highest-quality heart rate data during workouts, the Polar H7 Transmitter and Strap is likely your best choice. This device provides data with a level of accuracy similar to an ECG, which is widely considered the gold standard in heart rate measuring technology. The device takes advantage of low energy Bluetooth to transmit data to your smartphone while preserving battery life, and works with the Polar Beat app which lets you check your heart rate in real time. Additionally, the Polar H7 costs around sixty dollars, which is cheaper than most other wrist-based solutions, though the device of course does not offer smartwatch-like features of any sort. However, if your only concern is collecting highly accurate data about your heart rate while exercising, the Polar H7 is likely your best bet. Another option is the Scosche Rhythm24, which attaches to one’s forearm, which may be a more comfortable configuration for some.

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Most smartwatches that are sold today include fitness tracking features, including a wrist-based heart rate monitor. These products use small LEDS positioned on the underside of the watch to measure minor variations in skin color, which correspond with one’s heart rate. Though this technology is fairly accurate for measuring one’s heart rate while at rest, they tend to produce less desirable results as one’s heart rate becomes elevated. Additionally, not every wrist-based heart rate monitor measures with the same degree of accuracy, as recent research shows that results can vary dramatically between products. However, as they are generally integrated with smartwatch features, for most people, particularly those who take a more casual approach to their fitness, the trade-off can be worth it.

The most accurate wrist monitor tested in the previously-mentioned study is the Apple Watch, which was found to vary from the chest-based solution by just 1.5 beats per minute, a degree of accuracy which should be fine for most people. While not primarily a fitness-focused device, the Apple Watch offers an impressive array of health features, even including the ability to conduct an ECG and check for potentially serious heart conditions. While the Apple Watch is perhaps the most elegant and sophisticated smartwatch on the market, the product has some major drawbacks. For one, it’s only compatible with iPhones, so if you have an Android smartphone, you’re out of luck. Additionally, the Apple Watch is one of the most expensive smartwatches on the market, as the newest model starts at a base price of $399.

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Luckily for Android users, plenty of alternatives to the Apple Watch exist, many of which can be purchased for a dramatically-lower price. The Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2, for instance, costs $100 less, and offers a very similar set of features, including the ability to conduct an ECG and can even measure users’ blood pressure. In terms of its ability to measure heart rate, the Galaxy Watch Active 2 includes an upgraded heart rate monitor compared to its predecessor, and should provide most people with reasonably accurate results. 

Of course, these are but a few of all available heart rate monitoring solutions. As such, when you’re deciding on which device to buy, you should take your individual needs and preferences into consideration and do some independent research. Heart rate monitors can be great tools for monitoring your fitness over time, and as an added bonus many include other useful health features as well.

Red Heart with Stethescope

Research Shows Lifestyle Changes and Medicine as Effective as Surgery for Heart Disease

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According to a recent large study, stents and coronary artery bypass surgery are not more effective treatment options than intensive drug treatment and lifestyle changes that incorporate healthy habits, causing a new controversy in the medical field of cardiology. The subject of the best way to treat people with narrow coronary arteries has long been the subject of fierce discussion among doctors and researchers, with most doctors opting to implant stents into clogged arteries in order to treat people who have heart disease. Stents are tubes made out of wire mesh that force arteries open, allowing blood to flow more vigorously through the body. This type of surgery is very common, and it is even performed when patients have no symptoms or only experience pain after exerting themselves.

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The findings of the study were released on Saturday during the American Heart Association’s annual scientific conference, and the study was the largest and one of the most rigorous of its kind ever conducted. Though the study found that surgery is often lifesaving for people who had heart attacks, the procedure may be performed more often than is medically necessary, as less invasive options produce similar positive health outcomes in certain populations. Among these options are the use of drugs that lower cholesterol, which contributes to the buildup of plaque within the arteries, which in turn increases one’s risk of heart attack or stroke. Stents or bypass surgery, however, are more effective than drugs and lifestyle changes for frequent chest pain.

While the findings discourage the use of surgery in patients who are asymptomatic, they may also encourage the procedure in people who have frequent chest pain

The findings are likely to have an impact on the conversations doctors have with their patients about the best course of treatment for a wide range of heart problems. While lifestyle changes, combined with medicine, are the ideal treatment for people with heart disease who experience no or only minor symptoms, these changes can be difficult for patients to make and keep over time. Changing one’s diet, for instance, generally involves a significant shift in the way one thinks about food, and committing to an exercise routine can be especially challenging for people who are busy. Interventional cardiologists perform surgeries like stent procedures, whereas preventative cardiologists prescribe drugs and encourage lifestyle changes; these recent findings are likely to inspire disagreements between these two specializations.

While the findings discourage the use of surgery in patients who are asymptomatic, they may also encourage the procedure in people who have frequent chest pain, as implanting stents was shown to be effective both in reducing chest pain and lowering the risk of a cardiovascular event. The study also highlighted the importance of smoking cessation in reducing one’s risk for heart attacks and strokes, as quitting smoking is perhaps one of the most significant lifestyle changes a person can make to improve their health overall, especially as he or she ages. 

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While implanting stents is an effective treatment option in some cases, it is not totally effective; in the study, patients who had stents implanted suffered heart attacks at a rate of 5.3% whereas the group receiving medical therapy only underwent heart attacks at a rate of 3.4%. However, after four years had passed, the group with invasive procedures fared better than the other group, having heart attacks at a rate of 13.3% as opposed to 15.5%. While these findings need to be studied further, they may be the result of the fact that many people fail to maintain lifestyle changes over the course of several years. For treating chest pain, stents had a clear advantage over the other therapies, as they relieved chest pain in 50% of patients whereas medical and lifestyle therapy relieved chest pain in only 20% of patients. That being said, both options have been shown to be effective treatments for a number of heart problems, and thanks to modern medicine, people suffer from untreated heart issues at a lower rate than in the past.

Hospital

Donald Trump Visits Hospital Under Unusual Circumstances

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It’s not uncommon for presidents to keep information about their health secret from the public. Famously, Franklin D. Roosevelt suffered a severe polio attack at the age of 39, leading to paralysis in both legs, which he hid with crutches and steel braces, and John F. Kennedy, despite projecting an image of youth and vitality, suffered from Addison’s disease, an incurable disorder of the adrenal glands. Though current president Donald Trump has made public the results of his yearly physicals, the veracity of these reports is dubious, as his administration is infamous for distorting or outright fabricating information. Concerns about the president’s health escalated on Saturday after President Trump made an unscheduled visit to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland, where he stayed for roughly two hours.

According to White House Press Secretary Stephanie Grisham, the President “[took] advantage of a free weekend here in Washington, D.C., to begin portions of his routine annual physical exam at Walter Reed.” Additionally, the president tweeted about the visit, claiming that he took the opportunity to “[visit] a great family of a young man under major surgery at the amazing Walter Reed Medical Center,” and that he “began phase one of [his] yearly physical.” He added that “everything [was] very good.” Though the president does not smoke cigarettes or drink alcohol, he weighs 243 pounds and has a BMI of 30.4, making him medically obese. Additionally, he suffers from high cholesterol, for which he takes rosuvastatin. He also has heart disease, likely caused by his unhealthy lifestyle habits. Despite these problems, White House physician Ronny Jackson characterized Trump as being in “excellent health.”

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There are a number of reasons to be skeptical of the official account of Trump’s health. At 73 years old, Trump is the oldest president ever to take office, and outside of golfing, he does not exercise. The president’s diet consists in large part of fast food, ice cream, and steak, which are his favorite foods, and he is undoubtedly under a tremendous amount of stress, resulting not only from the ordinary stressors of occupying the office of the presidency, but also from being the subject of an ongoing impeachment inquiry as well as the potential for being held accountable for crimes committed while in office. All of these factors increase one’s risk of heart attack or stroke, and some outlets report that the president was experiencing  chest pain in advance of his unscheduled hospital visit. Though these reports have not been verified by major media outlets, it’s not hard to believe that the president suffered a cardiovascular event of some sort, given the circumstances of his health.

While Press Secretary Grisham claimed that the visit was part of his physical, the president’s previous physicals were scheduled in advance and were conducted by medical staff working in the White House. The claim that Trump underwent “phase one” of his physical is also suspicious, as yearly physicals are not generally conducted in phases. The president has no public events scheduled for today, Monday November 18th, even though a public event would make for an opportunity to dispel rumors about the president’s poor health. While Grisham pointed to the president’s “repeated vigorous rally performances in front of thousands of Americans several times a week” as evidence of his good health, these rallies generally involve the president speaking while leaning against a podium, which is not a particularly physically-demanding task. Furthermore, a source told CNN that a hospital visit like the one Trump had on Saturday is “not protocol.”

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Donald Trump is not the only 2020 presidential hopeful to have suffered health issues. The three highest-polling Democratic presidential candidates, Joe Biden, Elizabeth Warren, and Bernie Sanders, are all in their 70’s and experience a tremendous amount of stress from the demands of campaigning. Last month, Sanders was hospitalized as a result of a heart attack, for which he received surgery to install two stents in his heart. Additionally, Joe Biden appeared to bleed from his eye during a CNN town hall event in September, though this was attributed to a burst blood vessel caused by a poorly-fitting contact lens.

Marijuana Joint

Marijuana Use Linked with Heart Problems and Increased Risk of Stroke

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Marijuana has long been one of the world’s most frequently used recreational drugs, and the public perceives the drug to be relatively safe, leading to its legalization in several US states as well as Canada. However, due in large part to its federal classification as a schedule I substance, available research on the health effects of the drug is limited, as scientists have long had severely restricted access to the substance. As its use continues to develop across multiple demographics, however, scientists are escalating their research of marijuana and its effects. It’s long been understood that marijuana use during adolescence can lead to lifelong psychological problems, including problems with memory and diminished IQ. However, recent research is uncovering marijuana’s negative effects on other parts of the body including the lungs, and surprisingly, the heart.

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Marijuana is well-known for causing among its effects changes in heart rhythm. As the drug’s effects are felt for roughly three hours when smoked, these changes are temporary, and heart function returns to normal after the drug wears off. However, arrhythmia experienced during marijuana use can cause greater circulatory problems afterwards, particularly in heavy users. As such, sufferers of cannabis use disorder, who use the drug frequently and compulsively, are at increased risk of being hospitalized for arrhythmia. Though arrhythmia, a condition in which the heart’s rhythm is disturbed and irregular, is often benign, it can also lead to life-threatening complications. Lower doses of marijuana are associated with a too-fast heartbeat, whereas higher doses are linked with a too-slow heartbeat. The concern about the link between arrhythmia and marijuana use is particularly strong for young people, who in the study were shown to have the greatest risk of hospitalization.

While some methods of consuming marijuana are less dangerous than others, the safest and healthiest option is to avoid using recreational drugs altogether.

In addition to being linked with heart rhythm problems, marijuana use has also been shown to be linked with an increased risk of stroke, with frequent marijuana users being more than twice as likely to suffer a stroke compared to non-users. Again, this is true even in young people, who normally are much less likely to suffer a stroke than older people. This risk is compounded among people who use marijuana in addition to tobacco and have other health problems, including high blood pressure, that are known to increase one’s risk of stroke. Though the study does not establish a direct causal relationship between using marijuana and suffering a stroke, previous studies have shown that marijuana use leads to increased blood clotting and a narrowing of the arteries, suggesting a likely explanation.

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Researchers behind both studies, which are scheduled to be presented at a meeting of the American Heart Association this Saturday, November 16th, conclude that doctors should ask patients who have suffered a stroke or have heart problems whether they use marijuana so as to better prepare treatment options. As the studies have not yet been published in a peer-reviewed journal, their findings are considered preliminary. Though the American Heart Association takes no position on the legalization of marijuana, it recommends that public health protections such as age restrictions on purchasing the drug and smoke-free air laws be put into place.

Disturbing evidence about the negative health effects of marijuana also recently arose in the aftermath of a spate of hospitalizations in connection with a series of mysterious vaping-related lung injuries, some of which lead to death. Recently, the CDC revealed that the ingredient believed to cause these emergencies is Vitamin E acetate, a chemical sometimes added to THC vape products to change the consistency of the oil, particularly on the black market. Of course, smoking marijuana also harms the respiratory system, as tar accumulates inside the lungs and carcinogens enter the body. While some methods of consuming marijuana are less dangerous than others, the safest and healthiest option is to avoid using recreational drugs altogether.