HEALTHY LIVING


New study shows people who go to bed late have higher risk for


health problems. ::


BY CHRIS ILIADES, M.D. A


re you an early bird — early to bed and early to rise? Or a late-to-bed, late-to-rise night owl?


New research highlights the


health effects of being a morning or evening time type — called a chronotype. We already know the saying that


the early bird gets the worm, so what does the night owl get? According to new studies, the


evening chronotype is at increased risk for Type 2 diabetes, mental health problems, and heart attacks, but also can be more creative and better at learning new skills. “Chronotype is closely related


to your circadian rhythm, which is your internal clock that controls your sleep and wake cycles,”


explains Salma Patel, M.D., assistant professor of medicine and associate program director of the Sleep Medicine Fellowship at University of Arizona College of Medicine in Tucson. A study in the journal Sleep Medicine found that night owls are at an increased risk for Type 2 diabetes and coronary heart disease. And night owls have


worse mental health, according to a study in Psychiatry Research. However, it’s not all bad for night owls. Some studies have found they


learning skills. “These are associations, not


causes. It’s not a slam dunk that someone with late chronotype will have poor health outcomes,” cautions Patel.


YOUR CHRONOTYPE This is your body’s natural preference for sleeping and waking. That preference is something you are born with. It’s in your genes. “From twin studies,


DR. SALMA PATEL


may be more creative, and a new report from BMJ found that night owls may have better memory and


Chronotype is closely related to your circadian rhythm, which is your internal clock that controls your sleep and wake cycles.”


— Salma Patel, M.D. 78 NEWSMAX MAXLIFE | JANUARY 2025


we can say that your chronotype is about 54% inherited,” says Patel.


Although age and activities of


life also have an influence, your inherited morning or evening chronotype is hard to change. It is an evolutionary leftover from when humans were prehistoric hunters and gatherers. An early bird gets up at around


6 a.m., goes to bed around 10 p.m., and is most productive from morning to early afternoon.


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