The Night Owl Effect and Your Health Some people wake up early, fresh, and roaring to go. Others, on the other hand, are not morning people. They keep late nights, and would rather wake up a few hours later. Coffee may be the first thing that makes up their early morning ritual, and they tend to do their best work from late afternoon until well into the night. These are those for whom the term ‘night owl’ has been coined.
Differences Between a Night Owl and an Early Bird Studies show that, when comparing those who get up early and those who go to sleep late, the two groups tend to show certain differing personality traits. People who get up early, for example, have a tendency to not tire as quickly as their night owl counterparts. They are more persistent, and more able to resist frustration and difficulties, while they also tend to have less anxiety and depression. They also seem to have less of a likelihood of abusing alcohol and/or drugs. A night owl, on the other hand, and also, generally speaking, tends to be more extravagant, impulsive, and temperamental. People in this group are also more likely to have attentiondeficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), suffer from insomnia, and have a higher tendency towards mental disorders and addiction. This includes antisocial tendencies and mental disorders. Two possible reasons for the differences between these two groups have been determined. The first is that your genes play a role in determining your inner circadian rhythm. This refers to your inner clock that regulates both your sleep and physiological processing. Interestingly, a number of studies have linked the genes governing your circadian rhythm to a number of mood disorders, the occurrence of schizophrenia, and drug misuse. The second possible reason is when your biological clock and that of society become unsynchronized. When this happens, people tend to have to force themselves into a certain pattern of behavior in order to adapt to the schedule commonly kept by everyone else and what is considered the social norm. Someone classified as a night owl may find this difficult, and over time, develop anxiety or depression (as well as other disorders as previously mentioned). But being a night owl also has its positive side. This group includes those who tend to be more creative. The downside, however, is that they have a much higher mortality rate, i.e. they are more prone to die at an earlier age than their early bird counterparts.
The Night Owl Gene Many a night owl will tell you they prefer to work at night, as they have the quiet they need to concentrate better without distractions. Others might tell you they prefer the dark to the light. The reasons they may come up with as to why they stay up so late may all differ. Researchers, however, have determined that most night owls have one thing in common – a mutated gene. To be more specific, a variant of the CRY1 gene that slows down your circadian clock. The result is someone who gets tired and is ready to sleep much later at night.