Most people are either night owls or morning people. People will stay either go to bed early and get up early, or they go to bed late and get up late. Genetics play a role in circadian rhythm. Scientists have studied the effects of being an early riser or night owl. Previous studies have not had conclusive results.
However, a recent study has shown that being a night owl can be harmful to your health. They found that people who went to bed late did not eat as healthy as early risers. They typically consumed their last meal later in the evening. They also consumed fewer fruits and vegetables.
Poor eating habits could explain why night owls have higher rates of diabetes and heart disease. Night owls increase their chance of becoming a diabetic by 2.5 times. Blood sugar can fluctuate throughout the day. A change in the circadian rhythm can cause more drastic fluctuations.
Blood sugar levels are typically at the lowest during the evening. However, night owls are likely to experience a blood sugar spike right before bed because they often eat late in the day. This can impact metabolism.
The study also found that children are more likely to get up early. Sleeping and waking habits change as people get older. People are likely to revert back to being early risers during their later years.
Suzanna Almoosawi is the lead author of the study. She stated that work and school start times are the main reasons that more people are night owls. There is not much you can do about your work and school schedule. However, there are some things that you can do to protect your health if you are a night owl.
Most of the health problems that are associated with a night owl are linked to eating habits. You can protect your health by eating healthy and not drinking alcohol.