Does it matter if you are a frequent late night sleeper?

For many people, embracing late nights as their lifestyle choice is common. However, this nocturnal habit may carry detrimental effects on their health. Research indicates that individuals who identify as ‘night owls’ may face heightened risks of conditions such as diabetes and heart disease.

This is attributed to the fact that early risers tend to have an advantage in burning fat for energy. So, what consequences await those who opt for late nights before bidding adieu to the day?

The facts

Being a night owl or early bird can be less within your control than you think. It is a genetic characteristic known as chronotype. Because they are inherently late chronotypes, some people choose to go to bed later and wake up later. Conversely, early chronotypes prefer to go to bed and wake up earlier.

For some, the dark sky and cold air gives them the focus they need to accomplish multiple tasks. It can be beneficial to stay up later than usual, particularly if you are more attentive, imaginative, and productive at night. But health experts say making it habitual poses a dire risk on one’s health. Those who also have a regular sleep schedule tend to live longer than night owls.

Individuals who sleep less than six hours a day have a 20% increase of heart problems and an 82% increase in the risk of stroke associated with poor quality of sleep.

The arguments

The biological cycle known as the circadian rhythm aids in regulating a number of bodily functions, including the sleep cycle. It can change in reaction to stimuli such as food, physical activity, social situations, and the quantity of light encountered during the day. These external factors alter the internal clock every day, and specific stimuli may make someone remain up later.

There is the common misconception that night owls are lazy creating the impression that morning people are the superior group. The professional setting mostly favours the early birds, which explains why you hear more about them even if night owls are seen as adaptable and more creative. But lately, night owls seem to be thriving with the rise of remote work. There’s been a noticeable change in people feeling more productive at night

The downside is that because they work late, night owls are more likely to get a number of ailments. The main cause of this is people who can’t or won’t organize their work, which leads to excessive or insufficient sleep.

Nature has regulated our circadian cycle to release hormones and activate the radicular activating system most effectively in the early hours of the day. In short, night is meant for sleeping and day for working.

Even if an individual is incredibly productive at night, a structure is still needed. If not, it will be easy to overwork and possibly throw off the sleep schedule. It is certainly true that burnout exists, experts confirm.

Dr. Alon Avidan, professor of Neurology and Sleep Medicine at UCLA and director of the UCLA Sleep Disorders Center, says people are either morning or evening people from birth; one cannot be both.

“And you can’t easily transition someone from being a morning person to an evening person or an evening person to a morning person, but you can make changes to allow people to adjust slowly,” Avidan told Healthline.

Clinical psychologist, Dr. Michael J. Breus, also discussed the drawbacks of being a night owl in a post for HuffPost. In his discovery, Breus said that although they are generally more energetic, more creative, and capable of longer periods of productivity, they are also more prone to substance misuse such as alcohol, nicotine, and medications, inferior diets, and less exercise.

One could argue that all of these contribute to health issues much more than simply being a night owl. Because of this, night owls need to be more careful about what they eat and drink than morning people.

Consume foods high in brain power, begin training for a sport or other exercise, or simply go for longer walks each day. Avoid alcohol and carbonated drinks, especially late at night, and making sure to get plenty water are one of the many ways of striking the work-health balance.