A major study published in January 2026 in the Journal of the American Heart Association tracked more than 300,000 adults and found that people who are most active in the evenings had meaningfully worse cardiovascular health than those active earlier in the day. Night owls were 79 percent more likely to have a poor overall heart health score, and carried a 16 percent higher risk of heart attack or stroke over a 14-year follow-up. Women were especially affected. The underlying culprits: poor sleep, smoking, and diet. The good news is that these are all changeable, and improving them significantly reduces the risk.
Rick Good spent ten years in the newspaper business, including with The News & Observer (Raleigh, NC) and The Greenville News (Greenville, SC). He co-wrote, with Melinda Coleman, Rutledge to Riley: Governors of South Carolina, 1776–Present (Published by The Greenville News), and is the author of Mind Games Trivia #1 (Amazon). He has recently spent 15 years creating original trivia content through Sounds Good Mobile Entertainment and continues that with his new company, SGME Software. He edits The Smart Reader’s money, real estate, and business coverage.
