Why Being a Night Owl is Hurting your Longevity
Vincent E. Cording Longevity Mentor and Author
Over 50? Energy lapsing in the afternoon, more aches & pains, slowing metabolism, changing hormones, hard to sleep all night? I help my high achieving clients overcome these challenges & rediscover their vitality.
Best Time to Sleep for Longevity?
Individuals who identify as early birds or night owls may face unexpected risks to their mental health, according to a study by the University of Exeter. The research explores how living out of sync with the body’s natural circadian rhythm impacts well-being, answering questions such as whether night owls can shift their patterns to become early birds, and vice versa.
Natural Sleep Patterns
The study found that individuals whose sleep habits clash with their natural body clocks are more prone to depression and exhibit lower levels of well-being. Published in Molecular Psychiatry, the research provides the most conclusive evidence yet that being genetically inclined to rise early offers protection against major depression and promotes better mental health.
The findings suggest that the structure of society, especially the standard 9-5 work schedule, may benefit early risers, aligning with their natural rhythms while putting night owls at a disadvantage.
Early Bird or Night Owl?
The research builds upon prior work that identified 351 genes linked to morning or evening preferences. Through a statistical process called Mendelian Randomization, the study assessed whether these genes have a causal relationship with seven mental health outcomes, including depression.
The team analyzed data from over 450,000 UK adults from the UK Biobank, incorporating both genetic information and self-reported surveys where participants indicated if they were morning or evening people.
Summary of Previous Research
Prior studies, published in Nature Communications, indicated that being genetically wired to wake early is associated with improved well-being and a reduced risk of depression and schizophrenia. This earlier research involved 250,000 participants from 23andMe and 450,000 individuals from the UK Biobank. In both studies, participants provided information on their sleep preferences, and their genomes were analyzed for common genetic markers that influence these patterns.
Expert Opinions
Professor Mike Weedon, of the University of Exeter Medical School, who led the initial study, remarked, “This study highlights a large number of genes which can be studied in more detail to work out how different people can have different body clocks.
The large number of people in our study means we have provided the strongest evidence to date that 'night owls' are at higher risk of mental health problems, such as schizophrenia and lower mental well-being, although further studies are needed to fully understand this link.”
Lead author Dr. Samuel E. Jones added, “The discovery of this fundamental body clock mechanism in the brain recently won the Nobel Prize for medicine... however, we still know very little about whether or not your body clock influences your risk of disease.
Our work indicates that part of the reason why some people are up with the lark while others are night owls is because of differences in both the way our brains react to external light signals and the normal functioning of our internal clocks. These small differences may have potentially significant effects on the ability of our body clocks to keep time effectively, potentially altering risk of both disease and mental health disorders.”
Social Jetlag and Mental Health
The research introduced the concept of “social jetlag,” which measures the inconsistency in sleep schedules between workdays and free days. For example, an early riser who sleeps at 10 PM and wakes at 8 AM during the week might stay up past midnight on weekends, waking much later the next morning.
Using data from over 85,000 UK Biobank participants who wore wrist activity monitors, the researchers found that greater misalignment between natural body clocks and actual sleep schedules was linked to higher rates of depression, anxiety, and lower well-being.
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Jessica O'Loughlin, lead author of the study, explained, “We found that people who were misaligned from their natural body clock were more likely to report depression, anxiety, and have lower well-being. We also found the most robust evidence yet that being a morning person is protective of depression and improves well-being.
We think this could be explained by the fact that the demands of society mean night owls are more likely to defy their natural body clocks, by having to wake up early for work.”
Morning Alignment and Shift Work
The research also explored whether early risers enjoy mental health advantages if they engage in shift work. While morning people are generally more aligned with their body clocks, this benefit was not conclusively observed among shift workers, suggesting that irregular work hours may offset the protective effects associated with early rising.
Senior author Dr. Jessica Tyrrell noted, “The COVID-19 pandemic has introduced a new flexibility in working patterns for many people. Our research indicates that aligning working schedules to an individual's natural body clock may improve mental health and well-being in night owls.”
Can Sleep Patterns Be Changed?
Although extreme preferences for early or late sleep patterns are largely determined by genetics, change remains challenging. A key gene, Period 3, influences up to 52% of a person’s preference for morning or evening activity. This genetic programming makes it difficult for a night owl to transition into an early bird lifestyle, and vice versa.
However, Dr. Adrian Williams, a professor of sleep medicine at King’s College London, offered some hope: “Even though genetics determine the bulk of our sleep patterns, there are still ways we can make changes to our circadian rhythm.
There is a clear environmental effect, so yes, we can manipulate our rhythm.”
According to Dr. Williams, urban environments, with their abundant artificial light, tend to encourage later sleep schedules, while rural living, with more exposure to natural light, promotes earlier sleep patterns. Yet, it is not necessary to move to the countryside to improve sleep habits. Limiting exposure to blue light, especially in the evening, can help night owls adjust their rhythms gradually.
Furthermore, sleep patterns naturally shift with age. Adolescents typically experience their peak “eveningness,” while older adults tend to adopt more morning-oriented patterns due to hormonal changes throughout life.
Conclusion: Managing Circadian Rhythm for Better Health
Shift work poses significant challenges to maintaining mental health, regardless of whether someone is an early bird or night owl. While changing careers may not be practical, individuals can take small steps, such as reducing light exposure at night and gradually adjusting bedtimes, to align more closely with their natural rhythms.
Improving alignment with the body’s circadian rhythm may reduce the risks of depression and mental health disorders, ultimately contributing to better well-being and longevity.