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Going to bed earlier could significantly reduce the risk of developing depression and anxiety.

Sleeping Habits and Mental Health

Recent findings in the journal Psychiatry Research suggest that being a night owl can harm mental well-being. The study analyzed the sleep habits and mental health of nearly 74,000 UK adults. The researchers assessed the preferred sleep timing, known as chronotype, against actual sleep behavior.

The research demonstrated that, irrespective of chronotype, late-night wakefulness is harmful to mental health. Senior study author Jamie Zeitzer, a professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Stanford University, emphasized that aligning with one's chronotype is not as crucial as avoiding late nights. 

Participants who classified themselves as night owls and followed their natural sleep patterns were 20% to 40% more prone to a mental health disorder diagnosis compared to those night owls who maintained an early or intermediate sleep schedule.

Morning Types Fare Better

Among the study's participants, those who identified as morning types had the best mental health outcomes. The "mind after midnight" hypothesis suggests that being awake after midnight may increase the risk of impulsive and harmful behaviors. Morning people who stay up late might be more aware of their impaired decision-making abilities, whereas night owls might not recognize their vulnerability to poor decisions during late hours.

Recommendations for Better Sleep

Specialists advise aiming for seven to nine hours of sleep per night. Zeitzer advises night owls to adopt an earlier sleep routine, despite the difficulty in changing one's chronotype. He compares this effort to stretching a rubber band, which tends to revert to its original shape, indicating the challenge of maintaining an altered sleep pattern.

Study Limitations

Dr. Indira Gurubhagavatula of the University of Pennsylvania, a professor of sleep medicine, pointed out some limitations of the study. The participants were mostly white and middle-aged or older. Additionally, the method used to determine chronotype relied on a single validated question, which might not be as comprehensive as other, more detailed questionnaires typically used to assess "morningness" or "eveningness."