Do you check your phone first thing in the morning? A cardiologist explains how it could affect your heart

If checking your phone is the first thing you do after waking up, it may be time to rethink the habit.

For many of us, checking the phone is the first thing we do after waking up. But this seemingly harmless morning habit could trigger stress responses that may affect your heart health. In an interview with HT Lifestyle, Dr Sanjeev VK, attending consultant cardiology, Gleneagles Hospital, Chennai, revealed how this habit may affect your heart.

Is checking your phone first thing in the morning bad for your heart?

According to Dr Sanjeev, from a medical standpoint, the issue is not the phone itself. The issue is what happens to the body in the first few minutes of the day.

The problem starts when we immediately expose ourselves to stress. (Pexel)

When we wake up, the body is designed to wake up slowly. There is a natural rise in cortisol, heart rate, and blood pressure that increases gradually. This is called the "morning surge," and it is part of our circadian rhythm. It is also why most cardiac events like heart attacks and strokes tend to occur between 6 AM and 10 AM.

“The problem starts when we immediately expose ourselves to stress. A work email, disturbing news, 50 notifications, or even seeing a Zoom or Google Meet reminder for 9 AM. That pushes the nervous system directly into fight or flight. There is a sudden surge of adrenaline. Heart rate goes up quickly, blood vessels constrict, and blood pressure can spike,” explained Dr Sanjeev.

Work-related alerts are especially stressful because they come with a sense of urgency. The body reacts as if there is a deadline to meet the moment you wake up.

However, one day of this does nothing. But when this becomes a daily habit, the body never gets a calm start. And over time, chronic stress contributes to things we see a lot in cardiology, which include hypertension, poor sleep quality, insulin resistance, and endothelial dysfunction.

Other factors that impact heart health

Dr Sanjeev highlighted that sleep is the other big factor. If someone is scrolling late at night and then again first thing in the morning, sleep gets fragmented. Poor sleep by itself is a risk factor for heart attacks, arrhythmias, and metabolic issues.

People who start every morning with stress tend to have lower HRV. (Pexel)

“We are also seeing this in younger adults now. People in their 20s and 30s are coming in with anxiety, palpitations, and elevated blood pressure. Often the common link is poor sleep and constant digital stress from the moment they wake up,” said Dr Sanjeev.

We are also seeing more discussion around heart rate variability. People who start every morning with stress tend to have lower HRV. That means the heart is less able to handle stress.

What should you do to protect your heart?

The recommendation is not to throw away the phone. It is to create a gap. Even 15 to 20 minutes makes a difference. According to Dr Sanjeev, hydrate first, let the body wake up, avoid news and work messages in that window, and keep work app notifications off till you are ready. A simple trick is to charge your phone outside the bedroom or switch it to grayscale in the morning, so it is less stimulating. You should add some movement as well.

At the end of the day, checking the phone in the morning will not cause a heart attack tomorrow. But if every morning begins with stress and no basic routine, that pattern adds up over the years. And that is what impacts heart health.

Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.