Imagine this: it’s 6 in the morning, you’re tired and bleary-eyed, chugging your second cup of coffee as you make your way to work, but somehow you find yourself studying well past midnight on a rush of adrenaline. Perhaps you feel that rush of adrenaline right after you wake up, charge through the day, and go to bed at a reasonable hour of 10:30 p.m. Or maybe you’re somewhere in between?
Our master circadian rhythm controls the melatonin in our bodies, a hormone that helps us maintain a sleep-wake cycle. However, different people adjust to their personal sleep schedule in slightly different ways. A 2017 study estimates that 25% of people are night owls, who prefer both working and waking up late. Another 25% are early birds, who work and wake up early, and half of the population fall somewhere in the middle, depending on both personal circadian rhythms and a sleep “homeostat” that determines the level of sleepiness. But what exactly accounts for these differences? Are our sleep cycles innate, or a quality we can easily shift?
The answer is a bit complex, but our genes can take some of the blame. Up to 47% of our circadian rhythm is inherited from our parents, including variation in processes like protein synthesis in genes involved in determining our sleep patterns. A 2009 study examined the DNA of a mother and daughter from California, and found a point mutation in one gene that might influence their unusually short, “early bird”-oriented sleep cycles (where they would sleep from around 10:30 pm to 4 am). Our sleep tendencies also tend to flux with age: children and middle-aged tend to prefer waking up in the morning, while elders and those in their late teens/early twenties may harbour night owl tendencies. A 2016 study by 23andMe examined several genes from 90,000 people that were linked to circadian rhythms, and found 15 variants of a gene associated with being a morning person. Of the people they studied, women and people over 60 were more likely to be early birds. Lifestyle choices like eating habits, environment, and physical activity might also affect individual sleep schedules.
So is it better to be an early or late riser? In a society where much of daily life revolves around being active for most of the day, early birds might benefit from sleep schedules that easily adjust to 9-5 work shifts. They are also at a lower risk of disorders like insomnia, sleep apnea, and depression, and general disposition to higher life satisfaction.
However, this does not mean that night owls are inherently lazy or rebellious. In fact, night owls average a longer circadian cycle (a little over 24 hours). Because their bodies may need to function at a time where their brain still believes they are asleep (for example, waking up early at 7 am), it may in turn lead to fatigue, worse moods, and lower life satisfaction. Studies have shown that night owls tend to stay alert longer during the day, and may even be more visually creative.
If you’re a night owl intent on shifting to an early morning routine, it is possible to change your sleep schedule, but it takes work as you’re essentially fighting against biology. Melatonin supplements and restricting light exposure (especially blue light from electronic devices) are two ways we can try to adjust our nightly routine. Helpful apps such as “Bedtime” for iPhones can help you keep track of and regulate your sleep cycle.
Trying to shift back an hour a day can be effective, like adjusting to a different time zone. One way to make this shift, if you so please, is to schedule your activities around your sleep schedule so that you can lead a happier and healthier lifestyle. But if you like working up into the late hours of the night and get berated by others, blame it on your parents. Ultimately, you should listen to your own body and do what works best for you.
By Jareeat Purnava
Please note that opinions expressed are the author’s own. They do not necessarily reflect the views and values of The Blank Page.
