Many individuals stay up late due to work or study pressures, or evening entertainment habits. Staying up late for vai days can lead to fatigue and reduced concentration, with the body typically recovering after adequate rest. However, when late nights become a habit, the brain and vascular system may experience cumulative adverse effects over time.

Doctor of Clinic Level mot Nguyen Huu Khanh, from the Neurology Department at the Neuroscience Center, Tam Anh General Hospital TP HCM, states that sleep plays a crucial role in maintaining brain blood vessel function. During deep sleep, blood pressure decreases, heart rate slows, and the autonomic nervous system enters a resting state, allowing the endothelial lining of blood vessels to perform its regulatory functions. Prolonged late nights cause the sympathetic nervous system to become overactive, leading to blood vessel constriction and increased pressure on brain vessel walls.

In the long term, this condition can cause endothelial dysfunction, which affects the layer of cells lining the inside of blood vessels responsible for regulating blood flow and limiting clot formation. When the endothelium is damaged, brain blood vessels lose elasticity and their ability to dilate, increasing the risk of microthrombi or early atherosclerosis.

Staying up late also elevates stress hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline. High levels of these hormones over extended periods promote inflammatory responses, leading to nocturnal high blood pressure and dysregulation of blood sugar and blood lipids. These are all risk factors for ischemic stroke and hemorrhagic stroke.

Prolonged late nights result in dull headaches, a heavy feeling in the head in the morning, dizziness, short-term memory loss, or difficulty concentrating. According to Doctor Khanh, these symptoms are related to the brain not receiving sufficient rest and blood supply during sleep. If this continues, it can lead to early cognitive decline and chronic sleep disorders.

Late nights combined with insufficient sleep also affect the glymphatic system, which is involved in removing metabolic waste products from the brain. During deep sleep, cerebrospinal fluid circulates more efficiently, aiding in the removal of substances like beta-amyloid. When sleep is inadequate, these substances tend to accumulate, promoting neurodegeneration and later dementia.

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Doctor Khanh advises individuals with a habit of staying up late to seek medical attention if they experience symptoms such as persistent headaches, recurrent dizziness, severe sleep disorders, transient limb numbness or weakness, or uncontrolled hypertension. Doctors may order diagnostic tools like brain MRI, brain MRA, and electroencephalography to comprehensively assess brain and brain blood vessel function, allowing for timely detection of abnormalities. Individuals with chronic sleep disorders accompanied by anxiety and stress are treated with transcranial magnetic stimulation. This method targets brain regions involved in emotion and sleep regulation, helping to improve sleep duration and depth, and supporting the recovery of brain blood vessel function.

In addition to medical intervention, lifestyle adjustments play an important role. Adults should aim to sleep before 23h, maintain consistent sleep and wake times, limit caffeine and electronic devices in the evening, and incorporate light exercise and relaxation before bed. Supplementing with natural extracts from blueberry and ginkgo biloba also helps to enhance blood flow to the brain, combat free radicals, increase neural connections, and improve sleep quality.

Trong Nghia