A recent study indicates that early morning hours might be detrimental to the mental well-being of “night owls.” Individuals who maintain later sleep schedules tend to report heightened feelings of anxiety and loneliness. The findings are set to be presented at an upcoming joint conference hosted by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and the Sleep Research Society.
“Individuals with later sleep patterns reported poorer mental health, partly because they also experienced greater feelings of loneliness, including nighttime loneliness, and elevated anxiety levels,” stated lead researcher Alec H. Harley from Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah. “The study’s findings suggest that both daytime and nighttime social experiences appear to be significant when examining the mental health of individuals with evening chronotypes.”
For this research, scientists examined the chronotype, which refers to natural preferences for sleep and wake times, among 442 participants.
Participants also completed surveys designed to gauge their feelings of loneliness and anxiety.
The results revealed that “night owls” exhibited a considerably higher prevalence of anxiety.
Researchers indicated that feelings of nighttime loneliness partially account for this connection. A greater degree of nighttime loneliness was associated with increased anxiety levels.
The researchers propose that individuals who adopt a nocturnal lifestyle may be more prone to experiencing a misalignment between their social schedules and those of others.
“Assessing and addressing loneliness, including nighttime loneliness-related issues like anxiety, could represent a meaningful target for intervention by therapists, clinicians, and researchers aiming to improve the well-being of individuals with later chronotypes,” Harley commented.
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