A recent study has sounded a cautionary note for night owls, shedding light on the potential health risks associated with burning the midnight oil. The research suggests that individuals who stay up late may be more susceptible to developing Type 2 diabetes, primarily due to their less healthy lifestyle choices when compared to early birds.
Published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, the study examined data from over 60,000 female nurses and unveiled a troubling trend among night owls. These individuals tend to gravitate towards unhealthy diets, engage in less physical activity, possess a higher body mass index (BMI), experience shorter sleep durations, smoke cigarettes, and face a 19% higher risk of developing diabetes.
Tianyi Huang, a senior author of the study and an assistant professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School, emphasized the significance of this risk increase, stating, “A 19% increased risk, after adjusting for other factors, is a strong risk factor.”
This study challenges the commonly held notion that staying up late can be associated with increased energy levels and productivity. Instead, it underscores the potential health consequences of these nighttime habits.
Huang explained that the elevated risk among night owls primarily arises from the misalignment of their natural chronotype (preference for late-night activities) with their daily work schedules. Many night owls find themselves obligated to wake up early for work, disrupting their sleep patterns.
Marie-Pierre St-Onge, director of the Center of Excellence for Sleep and Circadian Research at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, advised night owls to prioritize healthy lifestyle habits to mitigate the risk. These habits include maintaining a balanced diet, ensuring sufficient sleep, and engaging in regular physical activity.
While some individuals may temporarily adjust their sleep patterns due to specific life events, they often revert to their natural chronotype. Huang pointed out that genetic factors can play a significant role in a person’s tendency to be a night owl, making it challenging to change their preferences.
St-Onge suggested that evening chronotypes may have evolved as a necessity, ensuring that there was always someone vigilant during nighttime hours when others were unable to do so, thus maintaining safety.
However, sleep specialist Dr. James McGuirk cautioned that the study does not conclusively prove a direct causation between having an evening chronotype and an increased risk of diabetes. He also noted that the study’s participants were predominantly white women, which could potentially impact the generalizability of the findings.
McGuirk highlighted that many night owls may erroneously perceive themselves as suffering from insomnia and attempt to adjust their sleep schedules to match societal norms, ultimately working against their natural chronotype.
