Does Being a Night Owl Put You at Risk for Diabetes?
Burning the midnight oil, hitting last call, pulling all-nighters — staying up late can be so fun, but it may have long-term consequences, according to a new study. Published last month in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine, the research found that “night owls” were 54% more likely to live an unhealthy lifestyle and were 72% more likely to develop diabetes than “early birds.”
Researchers looked at what study participants reported as their chronotype, or the body’s circadian preference. Studies have linked chronotype to genetics, showing that there is at least some predisposition to wanting to fall asleep earlier — or later.
But how this impacts our health is still being elucidated. There’s evidence that night owls report more depression and anxiety than their earlier counterparts, and that night owls may indulge in more unhealthy habits. (Indeed, bars are popular spots among nightcrawlers.)
Excerpted from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
