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Writer's pictureAlastair Hunt

Early Bird or Night Owl? Understanding the Impact of Sleep Timing and Chronotype Alignment on Physical Health

Updated: 1 day ago

Sleep chronotype early bird night owl health

Sleep timing, which is influenced by a person’s chronotype (biological preference for morning or evening activity), behaviour and circadian rhythms is critical for physical health. While prior research has linked chronotype to health outcomes, this latest study explores whether aligning sleep timing with chronotype affects various physical health outcomes.


The study analysed data from 73,888 middle-aged and older adults in the UK Biobank. Researchers objectively measured sleep timing and self-reports to classify chronotype into three categories: morning, intermediate and evening types. Participants' sleep timing was also classified as early, intermediate or late.

Are you an early bird or a night owl?

As ever, please talk to your doctor or medical practitioner most familiar with your medical history before implementing any changes in diet, exercise or lifestyle, especially if you are under treatment.

 

What They Found


The alignment between chronotype and sleep timing was assessed and its relationship with health outcomes, including metabolic disorders, obesity, diabetes, hypertension, circulatory and respiratory disorders, digestive disorders and cancer, was evaluated. Analyses were adjusted for factors like sleep duration, sleep timing stability, and demographics.


  • Morning chronotypes who slept late (misaligned) had an increased risk of all assessed health disorders compared to morning types who slept early (aligned).


  • Evening chronotypes who slept early (misaligned) showed a decreased risk of certain conditions, including diabetes, obesity, hypertension, circulatory disorders, and respiratory disorders, compared to evening types who slept late (aligned).


  • Follow-up analyses confirmed these findings, showing that misalignment between chronotype and sleep timing is associated with the development of new physical health disorders.


  • For optimal health, sleep should be timed before 1.0 am (0100hrs)

 

Final Thoughts


Late sleep timing, regardless of chronotype, was consistently linked to worse physical health outcomes. These results emphasise the importance of aligning sleep timing with an earlier schedule, even for individuals who naturally prefer staying up late. Optimising sleep timing could serve as a critical intervention for improving overall health and reducing the risk of chronic conditions.


Improving sleep and health is about finding motivation, prioritising self-care and taking action. If you want to take effective and targeted steps that fit into your unique lifestyle, The Whole Health Practice is here to help.


Whether your interest is sleep, healthspan and longevity, to beat chronic illness or to enhance your mental health and wellbeing, our consultations and programs deliver results that are tailored to your needs.

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Stay Healthy,


Alastair


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Related Studies and Resources


Glans I, Nägga K, Gustavsson AM, Stomrud E, Nilsson PM, Melander O, Hansson O, Palmqvist S. Associations of modifiable and non-modifiable risk factors with cognitive functions - a prospective, population-based, 17 years follow-up study of 3,229 individuals. Alzheimers Res Ther. 2024 Jun 26;16(1):135. doi: 10.1186/s13195-024-01497-6. PMID: 38926747; PMCID: PMC11202373.

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