Study Says Night Owls Likely To Die Sooner, But Not Due To Late Sleep

Poor sleep has been linked to poor health and longevity. However, a new study finds that late sleepers may die earlier not because of bedtime, but because of diseases related to smoking and drinking.

Phenotype is natural inclination The body sleeps at specific times; some people are late sleepers or night owls, while others are early birds. Research shows that a person’s chronotype affects appetite, exercise, and core body temperature.

in the latest studyresearchers in Finland assessed the association between chronotype and mortality by evaluating data from more than 20,000 people in a 1981 survey on sleep habits.

The team found that self-described night owls were more likely to die earlier than morning risers. “Somewhat” night owls had a 9 percent risk of death, compared with 21 percent for full night owls.

Earlier studies have also shown that night owls have high rates of mortality and risky behavior, but the latest findings suggest that this is not directly caused by chronotype.

When factors such as smoking and alcohol consumption were also taken into account, the increased risk of death among late sleepers disappeared.

“Our findings suggest that chronotype has little or no independent effect on mortality. The increased risk of death associated with people who are distinctly ‘evening’ appears to be primarily due to increased consumption of smoking and alcohol. This is in line with those Clearly a ‘morning’ person,” explain Christer Hublin, lead author of the study.

“The opportunity here means something in terms of the choices people make. If you’re a late sleeper, you don’t have to go out in the wee hours to smoke and drink. It’s a choice,” said Jennifer, a UCLA professor of medicine who was not involved in the study martin, Tell USA TODAY.

The study doesn’t explain why night owls are more likely to drink and smoke.

“Late night activities tend not to be the healthiest options. Society is set up that way. What happens after dark tends not to be things like eating salad and exercising,” Martin added.

Published by Medicaldaily.com