Commonly referred to as being an “early riser” or a “night owl,” these phrases are formally referred to as a chronotype. Believed to be partly inherited, chronotype impacts the body's circadian rhythm, affecting hormone release, metabolism, and other bodily functions.
Disruptions to these rhythms, common in night owls, can lead to negative metabolic changes, elevating risks for diabetes and other chronic illnesses.
In a new study published in the journal of the American College of Physicians, results link "night owl" habits with an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
Conducted from 2009 to 2017, the study included 64,000 nurses. In order to study the risk of diabetes development, participants tracked sleep patterns and reported significant lifestyle habits. These include tobacco use, alcohol use, and physical activity.
Night owls, those inclined to stay up late and sleep in, had a 72% higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes over the eight years compared to early risers.
This link was largely attributed to this chronotype’s tendencies toward poor lifestyle habits, including lower physical activity, poor diet, higher alcohol consumption, smoking, and irregular sleep. However, when researchers isolated these habits, the diabetes risk for night owls dropped to 19% above that of early birds, indicating that lifestyle factors play a substantial role.
The study also suggests potential genetic influences on the relationship between late sleep patterns and diabetes, as night owls still displayed a slightly elevated diabetes risk even after lifestyle factors were accounted for.
Interestingly, night owl nurses who worked late or night shifts did not face the same diabetes risk, highlighting the potential benefit of work schedules that align with individual chronotypes.
Prior studies also show that night owls have higher levels of body fat, are more sedentary, and exhibit greater insulin resistance. Researchers encourage night owls to adopt healthier habits to mitigate their risk, underscoring that lifestyle modifications, like balanced diets and regular exercise, can help counteract their predisposed health risks.
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