How late do we actually stay up at night?

In the lead-up to World Heart Day, habit-building platform Habuild conducted a simple late-night check-in with 3 lakh+ people, asking one question close to midnight: “Are you still awake?”

The response offered a glimpse into everyday sleep behaviour. Around 16% of participants said they were still awake close to midnight, despite the check-in being conducted at a time when most people would ordinarily be winding down for the day. The audience for the experiment was predominantly 45+.

For Habuild, the finding became a starting point for a broader conversation around an often-overlooked aspect of heart health: the habits we carry into the night.

While conversations around cardiovascular health often focus on diet, exercise and physical activity, sleep and everyday routines also form an important part of maintaining overall well-being. This World Heart Day, Habuild is using the late-night finding to make a simple observation: sometimes, taking care of yourself can begin with knowing when to switch off.

The check-in also found that 20% of those who don’t follow healthier habits were still awake close to midnight, compared with 10% of those who follow healthier habits like practising yoga every day. 

“We often think of health as a list of things we need to do — eat better, exercise more and stay active. But our health is also shaped by the small choices we make every day, including what time we choose to slow down and sleep,” said Saurabh Bothra, Co-founder and Yoga Instructor, Habuild. “The late-night check-in was a simple experiment, but seeing that 16% of people were still awake close to midnight made us pause. It made us think about how much we continue to carry into the night. While I was happy to see that the number was much smaller than what I had expected, we are now thinking how can we make it better in the days to come. Sometimes, taking care of yourself can be as simple as putting the phone away, breathing, sleeping on time and not taking everything to heart.”

The initiative builds on Habuild’s larger approach to health, which focuses on small, sustainable habits rather than short bursts of motivation. The platform encourages people to incorporate practices such as yoga, movement, mindful breathing and better sleep routines into their everyday lives.

The message for World Heart Day is therefore intentionally uncomplicated: Sleep on time. Practise yoga. And Har Cheez Dil Pe Mat Liya Karo.

Observed annually on 29 September, World Heart Day brings attention to cardiovascular health and encourages people to take steps towards protecting their heart. This year’s global campaign by the World Heart Federation focuses on recognising the signs of heart disease and taking action for cardiovascular health.

For Habuild, the occasion offers an opportunity to bring that conversation into the context of everyday behaviour — including what happens after the day is supposed to be over.

Because sometimes, taking care of your heart can start with something as ordinary as putting the phone down, taking a breath and going to sleep.

For more information, please log on to www.habuild.in.