The consequences of going to bed late according to a study

Many people have the habit of go to bed very lateeither because their work schedule requires it, because of their studies, because of their circadian rhythmor simply because their body accustomed to this practice.

People with such schedules are the exception rather than the ruleas most people tend to fall asleep earlier. A study by Stanford Medicine shows that people who habitually stay awake for much of the night pay a price for their lifestyle.

The price for night owls

The study was led by Jaime Zeitzer from Stanford University and was published in the journal Psychiatry Research. It concluded that people who sleep long, suffer more frequently from mental disorders such as depression or anxiety.

The study was based on a survey among 73,880 people. These people Chronotype that is, the natural disposition of every human being, Energy peaks or moments of rest at different times of the day, which may vary from person to person.

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This chronotype was compared with their actual sleep behavior and the results were obtained from these data. The results explain that very late bedtime increases the likelihood of suffering from mental disorders such as anxiety and depression through between 20% and 40%.

The results show that a “normal” sleep rhythm is the healthiest and most beneficial, as night owls (people who feel more active and alert at night and are more likely to sleep during the day) are also more likely to “harmful behavior”, says the journal that published the study.

These behaviors include, among others, Suicidal thoughtscommit Violent crime, Alcohol and drug consumption and overeating.

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From night owl to morning person

“Get sunlight in the morning and maintaining a previous routine every day of the week can Change your sleep patterns”, said Zeitzer.

However, once you accustomed to a nightly schedule and staying awake at night, it is not easy to change your chronotype. Getting our body used to the circadian rhythm is not an easy task, Zeitzer himself admits, but trying to get a good night’s sleep is worth the effort, because all its positive effects.

Several recent studies, including one presented at the annual sleep scientists’ conference SLEEP 2024, emphasize that a good night’s sleep Gratitude, resilience and thriving in adulthood.

The American Academy of Sleep Medicine recommends seven hours of sleep per night maintain optimal health and productivityLead researcher Michael Scullin points out that while sleep deprivation worsens mental health problems, it has not yet been experimentally proven whether More sleep can improve positive aspects of life.