Ashwin Lewis
People who go to bed early but wake up late may be experiencing 'social jet lag'. This is when people who naturally prefer to stay up late go to bed early because of social obligations, like work or school, but still wake up late. This can lead to an inadequate amount of sleep, which can negatively affect health and work performance. People who prefer to stay up late are known as 'night owls', while those who sleep and wake early are called 'early birds'. Sleep schedules are closely tied to our circadian rhythms, which are natural physical processes that follow similar patterns about every 24 hours.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Sleep schedule | People have different sleep schedules, with some preferring to go to bed early and others staying up late |
| Circadian rhythms | A person's sleep schedule preference is closely tied to their circadian rhythms, which are natural physical processes that follow similar patterns every 24 hours |
| Social jet lag | People who prefer to stay up late may develop social jet lag, which involves waking up early for social reasons like work or school, despite keeping a late bedtime |
| Sleep deficiency | Sleep deficiency is associated with health problems such as heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, and depression |
| Anxiety and depression | Research shows that people who tend to sleep and wake later are more likely to experience anxiety and depression |
| Genetics | Genetic differences influence whether a person is more likely to be an early riser or a late riser |
| Sleep drive | Going to bed later can help build up sleep drive, making it easier to sleep through the night |
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What You'll Learn
- Sleep schedules differ among people, with some naturally preferring to go to bed early and others preferring to stay up late
- Work and school commonly begin early, which creates a mismatch with night owls' sleep-wake schedules
- Sleep deficiency is associated with health problems such as heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, and depression
- People who tend to sleep and wake later are more likely to experience anxiety and depression
- To break the habit of waking up too early, try going to bed later
Sleep schedules differ among people, with some naturally preferring to go to bed early and others preferring to stay up late
Genetic differences also influence whether we are more likely to be early or late risers. People tend to fall into one of three categories with their sleep patterns: morning people who prefer early mornings to staying up late (Morning Larks), those who prefer staying up late and sleeping in a bit later (Night Owls), or those who are somewhere in between (Hummingbirds).
For those who are naturally night owls, the conflict between sleep and social obligations, like rigid work or school hours, can negatively affect both health and work performance. This can lead to "social jet lag", where a person wakes up early for social reasons despite keeping a late bedtime, resulting in an inadequate amount of sleep. To compensate, they might try to sleep more on their days off.
If you are trying to shift your sleep schedule earlier, it is important to help your body understand when it is supposed to sleep. This may involve going to bed later, which can seem counterintuitive, but it will help build up your sleep drive so that you find it easier to sleep through the night.
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Work and school commonly begin early, which creates a mismatch with night owls' sleep-wake schedules
Sleep deficiency is associated with health problems such as heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, and depression, as well as a higher risk of accidents and injuries. Research shows that people who tend to sleep and wake later are more likely to experience anxiety and depression.
Sleep schedules differ among people, with some naturally preferring to go to bed early and others preferring to stay up late. In everyday terms, people with a tendency to stay up late are often referred to as 'night owls', and those who sleep and wake early are called 'early birds'. A person's sleep schedule preference is closely tied to their circadian rhythms, which are natural physical processes that follow similar patterns about every 24 hours.
There are several things you can do to break the habit of waking up too early. One counterintuitive strategy is to go to bed later. This will help to build up sleep drive so that when you go to bed the following night, you find it easier to sleep through the night. You should only go to bed when you feel really tired.
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Sleep deficiency is associated with health problems such as heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, and depression
People who prefer to stay up late may develop 'social jet lag', which involves waking up early for social reasons, like work or school, despite keeping a late bedtime. These late nights and early mornings result in an inadequate amount of sleep, which the person might try to make up for by sleeping more on their days off.
Children and teens who are sleep deficient may have problems getting along with others. They may feel angry and impulsive, have mood swings, feel sad or depressed, or lack motivation. They may also have problems paying attention, and they may get lower grades and feel stressed. Sleep plays an important role in your physical health. It helps heal and repair your heart and blood vessels. It also helps support a healthy balance of the hormones that make you feel hungry (ghrelin) or full (leptin). When you don't get enough sleep, your level of ghrelin goes up and your level of leptin goes down.
Sleep deficiency can also interfere with work, school, driving, and social functioning. People who are short on sleep face a higher risk of car crashes and errors at work. Sleep insufficiency may also cause inflammation and reduce the immune system's ability to fight infections. Short sleep is also linked to obesity, a slower metabolism, and death of any cause.
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People who tend to sleep and wake later are more likely to experience anxiety and depression
Research has shown that sleep deficiency is associated with health problems such as heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, and depression. Sleep deprivation studies have also found that healthy people can experience increased anxiety and distress levels following poor sleep. Sleep problems can contribute to the onset and worsening of mental health problems, including anxiety and depression, and can even increase the risk for suicide.
Additionally, people who sleep and wake later may be more likely to experience "delayed sleep phase", a particular form of sleep disturbance commonly observed in young people with depression. Actigraphy measurements have shown that habitual sleep onset later than 1:00 a.m. is seen in 30% of young people with unipolar depression, compared to only 10% of age-matched healthy controls.
Genetic differences also play a role in whether someone is an early or late riser. People tend to fall into one of three categories: morning people or "larks", who prefer early mornings; night owls, who prefer staying up late; or hummingbirds, who are somewhere in between.
To improve sleep habits, it is recommended to go to bed later, which may sound counterintuitive, but it helps build up sleep drive so that it is easier to sleep through the night. It is also important to limit caffeine and alcohol, as these substances can disrupt sleep, and to add more physical activity to your day, as exercise can improve sleep quality by easing stress and anxiety.
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To break the habit of waking up too early, try going to bed later
If you're waking up late despite going to sleep early, it could be that you're a 'night owl' – someone who naturally prefers to stay up late and sleep in later in the mornings. This can cause problems if you have to get up early for work or school, resulting in inadequate sleep.
If you want to break the habit of waking up too early, it might sound counterintuitive, but you could try going to bed later. This will help your body understand when it's supposed to sleep. Try going to bed 30 minutes to an hour later than your normal bedtime for a week. This will build up your sleep drive, so you'll find it easier to sleep through the night. Only go to bed when you feel really tired.
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Frequently asked questions
You may be a 'night owl', which means you naturally prefer to stay up late and sleep in a bit later in the mornings.
Yes, it can be. If you have to wake up early for work or school, you may develop 'social jet lag', which means you're not getting enough sleep. This can negatively affect your health and work performance.
Try going to bed later. This will help your body understand when it is supposed to sleep. You should only go to bed when you feel really tired.
