Don’t Be Ashamed To Be A Night Owl!
Are you a night owl? Don’t worry, we all have different sleep patterns. Some of us can’t help but rise with the dawn (we’re jealous of these people too) and others seem to do their best work after the rest of the world has seemingly hit the hay. If you fall into the latter camp, it can be tricky to fit in to our 9-5 (and sometimes earlier and often later) world. We’ve been conditioned to reward the early bird with the worm. Well, a new study shows that this is particularly not bueno for those of us night owls who wake up when the sun goes down.
In a large-scale study conducted by the Northwestern School of Medicine and the University of Surrey in the United Kingdom, over half a million people were surveyed on their sleep habits. Those who said they liked to stay up late had a 10-percent chance of dying sooner than those who expressed a preference for rising early. The reasons for this though may not be what you suspect. Why is being a night owl potentially bad for your health?
“Night owls trying to live in a morning lark world may have health consequences for their bodies,” said co-lead author Kristen Knutson, associate professor of neurology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.
If Your A Night Owl, Fighting Your Rhythm Might Be Difficult
Instead of fighting the body’s natural circadian rhythm, researchers suggested negotiating a work schedule that better supports when night owls can do their best work. This isn’t the only study to show negative health impacts associated with a preference for staying up late. Previous research has also shown night owls are more likely to have high blood-sugar levels and excess fat around the waist.
It’s important to note that these studies did not find that going to bed later caused poor health. In fact, researchers suggest that it’s the stress of trying to adjust to a morning routine that may be causing the most harm.
“This is a public health issue that can no longer be ignored,” said Malcolm von Schantz, a professor of chronobiology at the University of Surrey to Science Daily. “We should discuss allowing evening types to start and finish work later, where practical. And we need more research about how we can help evening types cope with the higher effort of keeping their body clock in synchrony with sun time.”
But Can You Become A Morning Person?
If I’m a night owl, can I become a morning person? Maybe. Genetics and environment play a big role here. If you come from a family night owls, there’s a good chance it’s just how you’re wired.
If you’re curious about your own chronobiology, check out the research of Dr. Michael Breus. Brues has identified 4 chronotypes that most people fall into – Dolphin, Bear, Lion, and Wolf. Knowing your chronotype can help you create patterns that suit your unique circadian rhythm. Breus’s book, The Power of When, highlights when the best time is for your body to do anything from produce creative work to answer emails to even ask for a raise.
How To Tell If You Are A Night Owl
Time to find out whether you really are a morning person or a night owl? Determine your chronotype by taking his free quiz here.
And if you really believe early rising is for you, here are the Secret Habits of Morning People That Anyone Can Adopt.
Ok, now it’s time for our nap.
