Heart attacks, sudden cardiac deaths peak between 7–11 am: Cardiologist explains why are your mornings putting you at risk

Mornings are supposed to be a fresh start, right? You roll out of bed, grab your phone, maybe chug some coffee, and dive straight into the chaos of the day. But here’s the catch: your heart might not be as ready for that morning sprint as you are. In fact, cardiologists say the early hours after waking up are when your heart is under the most pressure.

Why does this matter?
Heart attacks and sudden cardiac deaths (SCD) are a huge deal in the US, even as treatments have gotten better. As per US CDC, every year, around 805,000 Americans have a heart attack, which means someone has one about every 40 seconds! Of these, 371,506 deaths in 2022 were from coronary heart disease—the main cause of heart attacks. While survival rates have gone up a lot in the last few decades, heart disease is still the leading cause of death in the country. Sudden cardiac death, where the heart just stops without warning, is especially scary. In 2022, “any-mention” sudden cardiac arrest was connected to 417,957 deaths in the US, with most cases happening at home. SCD can hit healthy-looking folks out of the blue, but folks with existing heart problems are at way higher risk. What stings is that survival rates remain low—even with quick emergency help, only around 10% survive to hospital discharge.
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Morning hours are the "high-alert" window for hearts
According to Dr. Sanjay Bhojraj, a Functional Medicine Doctor,mornings are a “high-alert” window for your cardiovascular system. When you wake, your body releases a surge of cortisol (that’s your stress hormone), your blood pressure rises, and your platelets—the little guys that help with clotting—get stickier. Translation? Your heart is working overtime before you’ve even finished brushing your teeth.

And here’s the scary part: studies show that heart attacks and sudden cardiac deaths peak between 7 AM and 11 AM. That means your “rise and grind” routine—coffee on an empty stomach, skipping water, ignoring meds, rushing to emails—could actually be putting your heart at risk.

Dr Sanjay Bhojraj explains why morning hours are crucial. "Your mornings are a “high-alert” window for your heart.

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, with a smaller afternoon spike around 5 PM to 6 PM. "

"If you’re firing on all cylinders the moment you wake—coffee on empty stomach, skipping hydration and meds, diving into work—that’s exactly when your heart needs protection the most," he explains.

To prevent this, he suggests:

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.”