Why do most heart attacks occur early morning? Cardiologist explains
In a post on Instagram, cardiologist Sanjay Bhoraj explained the reasons behind the cardiac arrests and deaths
A cardiologist has suggested that mornings are a “high-alert” window for the heart.
In an Instagram post titled Most Heart Attacks Happen After This Only Habit (and it’s not stress), Dr. Sanjay Bhoraj listed several reasons that contribute to cardiac-related issues, heart attacks, and cardiac arrest-induced deaths.
What causes cardiac arrest?
Dr. Bhoraj, in his post, said, “Here’s why: when you wake up, your body triggers a surge in cortisol, platelets get stickier, and blood pressure rises. Now — what makes this worse? Going from 0 → 100 the second you wake up. A landmark study found that heart attacks and sudden cardiac deaths peak — especially between 7 AM and 11 AM.” (sic).
He also noted that the time window between 5 pm and 6 pm has a similar health crisis rise, but smaller in number.
According to Dr. Bhoraj, hearts need to be protected in the morning hours with regularised, healthy routines and could be achieved by avoiding certain habits. He suggested not to fuel the bodies with caffeine on an empty stomach once waking up, adding that skipping drinking water and prescribed medicines, and starting to work right after waking up from bed would risk cardiovascular health.
He said, “If you’re firing on all cylinders the moment you wake – coffee on an empty stomach, skipping hydration and meds, diving into work – that’s exactly when your heart needs protection the most”.
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Morning routine to follow
Dr. Bhoraj said having a healthy morning routine could avoid the possibility of having heart attacks.
According to him, the first step to protect the heart is to get hydrated. He recommended a protein-rich breakfast and a light workout for 10 to 15 minutes every day would avoid the risk of heart attacks.
“Hydrate first, take your medications on time, eat or sip a protein-forward breakfast, give yourself 10–15 minutes of light movement before hitting the gas," he suggested this plan to stick to.