Top Nighttime Habits to Avoid: Doctor Unveils Potentially Dangerous Mistakes

With heart disease on the rise in the United States, health professionals are increasingly focused on lifestyle adjustments that could significantly reduce the risk, even extending to changes in your bedtime routine.

Cardiovascular disease, encompassing conditions like high blood pressure, heart attacks, and strokes, claims nearly one million lives annually in the U.S., solidifying its position as the nation’s leading cause of death.

It’s widely recognized that factors such as obesity, inadequate diet, and insufficient physical activity contribute to arterial hardening and inflammation, thereby heightening the likelihood of developing heart disease.

However, a prominent cardiologist has highlighted to the Daily Mail that preventing heart disease might also require an examination of your nighttime habits and sleep patterns.

“Sleep is extremely important in maintaining health as it is a time where the body and mind recharge, repair and rebuild,” explained Dr. Cynthia Kos, an advanced heart failure specialist at Hackensack Meridian Jersey Shore University Medical Center in New Jersey, during an interview with the Daily Mail.

‘This is when the heart gets the most rest since the body winds down wakeful functions and relaxes by increasing the parasympathetic nervous system’s tone. This increased, restful parasympathetic tone leads to lower heart rate and blood pressure, allowing the heart to do less work and take a break.’

She also notes that irregular sleep ‘can interfere with your body’s metabolism, affecting how it processes sugar and regulates appetite.’

‘This can increase your risk of developing obesity and type 2 diabetes, both of which are major risk factors for heart disease,’ Kos added.

Below are common nighttime mistakes people make and Kos’ top tips for slashing your risk of heart disease.  

Dr Cynthia Kos (pictured above), advanced heart failure specialist at Hackensack Meridian Jersey Shore University Medical Center in New Jersey, revealed the habits she avoids at bedtime to improve her heart health

Going to bed at different times every night 

Crafting a consistent bedtime routine is key for reducing the risk of sleep-related heart issues, Kos notes. 

‘Create a relaxing bedtime routine, such as taking a warm bath, reading a book, or listening to calming music, to signal to your body that it’s time to wind down,’ she said. 

Having a consistent bedtime routine helps stabilize the body’s circadian rhythm, its internal clock that regulates the sleep-wake cycle. This has profound effects on heart rate, blood pressure and artery health.

One 2021 review found better sleep efficiency, or adherence to a routine, helped the arteries relax. Relaxed arteries allow blood to flow more freely throughout the body, reducing strain on the heart. 

Another 2025 study in the journal Nutrients found that people with the most sleep irregularity had higher body weights and lower levels of HDL (good) cholesterol, raising their risk of developing heart disease later in life.  

‘When your sleep schedule is erratic, it can prevent your blood pressure from dipping at night as it naturally should, leading to higher average blood pressure levels. This constant pressure can strain your arteries and increase your risk for heart disease,’ Kos said.  

Snacking before bed

Recent research has found eating late at night increases the risk of cerebrovascular disease and reduces the amount of time spent in REM sleep (stock image)

To lower heart disease risk and promote restful sleep, Kos warns against munching right before bed time.  

Recent research also suggests steering clear of the habit. A 2023 study in the journal Nature Communications looked at dietary records from more than 100,000 people and found that those who ate after 9pm were at a 13 percent greater risk of heart disease than those whose last meal was before 8pm. 

The risk of cerebrovascular disease – conditions that restrict blood flow to the brain, such as a stroke – rose by eight percent with each hour delay of the last meal. 

People who had their last meal at 9pm or later also had a 28 percent risk of cerebrovascular disease than those who ate before 8pm. 

Fasting at night, meanwhile, decreased cerebrovascular disease risk by seven percent. 

Kos told the Daily Mail she particularly avoids alcohol, caffeine, sugary drinks and spicy foods within three hours of her bedtime. 

Alcohol at first acts as a sedative, but it suppresses rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, which is crucial for regulating blood pressure during sleep. Caffeine, meanwhile, promotes wakefulness, while spicy food causes heartburn, triggering heart palpitations. And compounds like capsaicin in spicy food raise body temperature, which may disrupt sleep quality.

Having a distracting bedroom

Kos advocates for keeping your bedroom as basic as possible while still prioritizing comfort.  

‘Don’t be uncomfortable when you go to bed, either with uncomfortable pillows or old mattresses, warm/hot temperatures or background noise,’ she said. 

Being physically uncomfortable while trying to sleep triggers the body’s ‘fight-or-flight’ response, raising levels of the stress hormone cortisol. This makes the body too alert to effectively rest, raising heart rate and blood pressure. 

Recent research has also found warm temperatures during sleep can worsen heart health over time. One study published last month in older adults found people who slept in bedrooms that were more than 75 degrees Fahrenheit were 1.4 times more likely to develop stress-related heart issues. 

Additionally, background noise causes micro-arousals, which are brief shifts in brain activity from deep sleep to wakefulness. This reduces the amount of time spent in REM sleep. 

‘Make sure your bedroom is cool, dark and quiet to create an environment that is conducive to uninterrupted sleep,’ Kos said. 

Not turning off your tech 

Blue light in phone screens has been shown to suppress the production of melatonin (stock image)

Kos makes sure to put her phone down and turn the TV off at least an hour before bed.

Much like being uncomfortable, watching a stressful or intense show before bed triggers fight-or-flight responses and prevents the body from winding down, leading to blood pressure and heart rate spikes. 

One small study of 19 patients with cardiac disorders found that watching a stressful five-minute clip caused their breathing patterns to quicken and blood pressure to increase. 

‘If someone already has a weakened heart, or if they experience a much more extreme stress, the effect could be more stabilizing and dangerous,’ study author Dr Ben Hanson of University College London said at the time. 

Recent research also suggests high-stress content can create disturbances in heart rhythm, resulting in arrythmias. 

Blue light emanating from a phone screen has also been shown to suppress the secretion of melatonin, a sleep hormone. 

‘Put the phone away and turn off the TV an hour before bed to avoid lingering stimulation from stressful content or the melatonin squandering effect of blue light,’ Kos said.