Spending your evenings to scroll, getting out or working late seems trivial … until the bill falls. A vast study published in International chronobiology has just established a direct link between night habits and premature mortality. People who go to bed regularly late would have 10 % risk in addition to die earlier than enthusiasts of early bedtime. This alarming observation is based on the observation of more than 400,000 adults for several years. The verdict is final: to live in the meantime of your biological clock puts the body to the test.
White nights, body at the end
The functioning of our internal clock is governed by a very specific center of the brain: the hypothalamus. When this system is out of order, the effects are numerous and deep. The tard beads suffer from more psychological disorders, with an almost double risk of developing anxiety or depression. On the physical health side, the figures are just as worrying:
- +30 % risk of diabetes;
- +22 % of respiratory problems;
- An increased risk of hypertension;
- Possible dysfunctions in the kidneys and liver.
Diurnal sleeping, frequent in night owls, also increases the danger of daily accidents. In parallel, prolonged exposure to blue light – omnipresent via screens and artificial lights – blocks melatonin production, the restorative sleep key hormone.
A toxic lifestyle for the body
Why are night owls more vulnerable? Their offbeat rhythm exposes them less to natural light, essential to synchronize the internal clock. They also tend to adopt risky behaviors: unbalanced diet, night snacks, more frequent consumption of alcohol or substances.
These habits further disrupt their biological cycle, generating a negative spiral with multiple consequences. The lack of regularity in hours of sleep, meals and exposure to light is a real chronic stress for the body.
How to find a natural rhythm?
The good news is that it is possible to reverse the trend. Several simple gestures make it possible to rebalance sleep and preserve your health:
- Expose themselves to natural light in the morning to relaunch the biological clock;
- Set regular sleeping and lifting schedules, including weekends;
- Structure your meals with a rich breakfast, full lunch and light dinner;
- Move every day, even with a gentle activity, to stimulate the organism;
- Adapt your diet to the seasons, favoring summer fruit or winter tubers;
- Turn off screens at least an hour before sleeping, so as not to block melatonin.