Who lives longer - "owls" or "larks"? Scientists gave a clear answer

Larks have a 10% lower risk of early death than owls. Their habit of staying up late can play a cruel joke on the latter.

This conclusion was reached by scientists at Northwestern University in Chicago, whose study was published in the journal Chronobiology International, HealthDay reports. Christine Knutson, an associate professor of neurology at the Feinberg School of Medicine at the university, said that everyone should be aware of the consequences of their lifestyle.

She noted that for "owls," there is still hope for a long life, but efforts must be made.

As part of the study, researchers asked more than 433,000 British adults to classify themselves into one of four categories - a pronounced morning or evening person or a moderate morning or evening person.

About a quarter of people described themselves as morning larks, and about 9 percent said they were definitely night owls.

For 6.5 years, the researchers tracked the health of all participants to find out whether sleep patterns were associated with an increased risk of death and disease.

It turned out that the "owls" were slightly more likely to die during the study period compared to the morning larks after the researchers controlled for other health risk factors. They also had more health problems - twice the risk of psychological disorders, 30% higher risk of diabetes, 25% higher risk of neurological problems, 23% higher risk of gastrointestinal disorders, and 22% higher risk of respiratory diseases.

Scientists have not been able to find out the exact causes of these problems, but they suggest that people who stay up late have more opportunities for unhealthy lifestyle choices, such as drinking, smoking, snacking, or using drugs.

But the most intriguing theory of scientists claims that the reasons may be that "owls" have to adjust their internal clocks to the rest of the world - to be on time for work, meet friends, etc.

The best thing that night owls can do is to adapt to the more normal rhythm of the morning lark in the world, Knutson says.

To do this, scientists advise gradually trying to move the time of going to bed, that is, going to bed a little earlier. And for those who are "owls" by choice or due to circumstances - for example, people who work at night - Knutson recommends:

- proper nutrition

- exercise;

- getting enough sleep when they manage to go to bed.

As reported by OBOZ.UA:

- "For many people, the thought of getting up at 5 am is scary. But, in fact, contrary to the beliefs of most "owls," waking up early can be beneficial for mental activity, the body, and overall well-being.

- Scientists have proven that even if you don't get enough sleep for 30-60 minutes a day, you can get serious health problems. This primarily concerns diseases of the cardiovascular system. Within a month and a half after sleep deprivation, inflammation and cellular dysfunction begin to appear.

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