Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Syrian Defense: We call on all parties in Sweida to cooperate with security forces and exercise restraint
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: The Lebanese Army is continuing its investigations and will later announce any information that does not affect the confidentiality of the investigation
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: It has not yet been determined whether the detainees belong to ISIS or another organization
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: Around 10 people of different nationalities, including Lebanese nationals, were detained
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: The Lebanese army arrested a number of people in the Matn area of Mount Lebanon with possession it has not disclosed
Gaza Civil Defense spokesman: We have strong indications that there are martyrs, injuries, and trapped people in the Salah al-Din area
Gaza Civil Defense spokesman: Citizens should avoid Salah al-Din Street because anyone who approaches it is at risk of being directly targeted
Gaza Civil Defense spokesman: Reality is that there is a very limited retreat of the vehicles, with the occupation forces providing cover undeer fire up to Salah al-Din Street
Gaza Civil Defense spokesman: Claims that the Israeli occupation has withdrawn from areas in the neighborhoods of al-Zaytoun, al-Tuffah, and al-Shujaiya are false
Hamas: The two delegations stressed that any negotiations must lead to the achievement of our people's goals and aspirations, foremost among which is ending the war and the complete withdrawal of enemy forces

Night owls, rejoice: there is no link between laziness and late sleep

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Agencies
  • 30 Jan 2023 12:59
4 Min Read

Bias against night owls (those who wake at night and sleep in the day) and calling them lazy is “purely cultural”.

  • x
  • A photo depicting a woman either as an early bird who wakes up early or a night owl who stays up late (Financial Times)
    A photo depicting a woman either as an early bird who wakes up early or a night owl who stays up late (Financial Times)

Shaming the circadian rhythm, the natural process that regulates sleep-wake cycles in bodies, is no longer "cool" - and genetics are to thank for that. 

The body's sleep-wake schedule, called the chronotype, seems to be genetically regulated according to experts in a recent study in Finland that found 10% of men and 12% of women to be "night people". 

A 2007 study even discovered that the most common chronotype found in 14.6% of people is a sleep schedule from 12.09 am to 8.18 am when there are no “social obligations”.

Dr. Beth Ann Malow, neurologist and sleep expert at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Tennessee, said: “It’s not something like: ‘I’m gonna choose to be a night owl, and I’m lazy.’ It’s a biological preference.”

This point is seconded by Dr. Phil Gehrman, clinical psychologist specializing in behavioral sleep medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. 

He expressed that bias against night owls (those who wake at night and sleep in the day) is “purely cultural”.

A 2014 study concluded that the later in the day that class and work started, the more sleep individuals got. 

Dr. Mathias Basner, director of Penn’s unit for experimental psychiatry in the division of sleep and chronobiology, said: “It’s the combination of early work start and long commute that is driving short sleep." 

Social obligations may be the reason why 

What happens when classes and work shifts don't match our circadian rhythm?

Related News

Montenegro's 'Lazy Olympics': Who can lie down the longest

Sleep apnea poses significant stroke risk, US study reveals

Staying up late turns into a condition known as delayed sleep-wake phase disorder, whereby circadian rhythms make daily life and functioning a hassle - approximately 0.2% to 1.7% of adults suffer from this. 

Dr. Malow stated that sleep habits being viewed either as a tendency or as a disorder depends more on “lifestyle and their employment than it is anything else," adding that treatment really starts when people are able to adjust work schedules to biological rhythms. 

For instance, she illustrates a patient who suffered in high school but excelled when he began a job as a chef or when students registered for late-night classes. 

Rather than trying to catch up to social obligations, she says: “I would much rather [patients] stay on a consistent schedule where they’re going to bed at two and waking up at 10 or 11.” 

Unfortunately, not many are lucky to have that option and enjoy that luxury. In that case, the hassle can be treated by working out and with melatonin intake, a natural hormone that the body releases to respond to darkness and thus to sleep. 

According to Dr. Gehrman, these treatments can alter the circadian rhythm, but success rates vary.

Pros and cons of night owl-ing

Dr. Gehrman ruled out definite links between being awake at night and mental health or unhappiness. 

“There are a lot of epidemiologic studies showing that being a night owl is associated with higher rates of depression and anxiety and all these things. But the open question is: is it the fact that you’re a night owl? Or is it the fact that most night owls are forced to follow a schedule that’s earlier than their circadian rhythm – what we often refer to as a mismatch,” he says. Recent studies have pointed to the latter, he says: 

“It’s certainly not conclusive, but that’s what we think is going on.”

However, bias and shaming night owls for being lazy may benefit capitalism and the corporate "big guys." British researcher Dr. Paul Kelley argues that abiding by a 9-5 schedule suits 50+ year-old bosses because it's actually easier for them to get up early. 

“People shouldn’t change their schedule because of the belief that following their schedule is bad for them,” Gehrman says, adding: “As humans, we always seem to say if someone’s different from us, they’re therefore wrong."

“I think people should look at circadian rhythm differences the same way they look at any other differences between people.” 

  • Sleep
  • circadian rhythm
  • health

Most Read

Hezbollah SG reveals war details on Al Mayadeen for the first time

Hezbollah SG reveals war details on Al Mayadeen for the first time

  • Politics
  • 8 Jul 2025
Major ambush in Gaza kills 6 Israeli troops, injures dozens

Major ambush in Gaza kills 5 Israeli troops, injures 14

  • Politics
  • 8 Jul 2025
Israeli soldiers are seen in Beit Hanoun ahead of an operation by the al-Qassam Brigades, undated (Al-Qassam Brigades Military Media)

'Israel' on blast as media exposes report discrepancies in Gaza ambush

  • Palestine
  • 8 Jul 2025
Yemen Navy sinks ETERNITY C ship, shares footage of operation

Yemen Navy sinks ETERNITY C ship, shares footage of operation

  • Politics
  • 9 Jul 2025

Coverage

All
The Ummah's Martyrs

Read Next

All
The Freedom Flotilla ship Handala as it departs for Gaza, where it aims to break the maritime blockade at a port in Syracuse, Sicily in southern Italy on July 13, 2025. (AFP)
Palestine

Freedom Flotilla's Handala departs Sicily in bid to break Gaza siege

The container ship CMA CGM Laperouse, left, docks at the Georgia Ports Authority's Port of Savannah, Sept. 29, 2021, in Savannah, Ga (AP)
Politics

US shipbuilding woes deepen as tariffs, outdated policies backfire

Gaza war raises ethical questions for ex-Obama, Biden officials
Politics

Mercenary firm tied to Gaza war crimes hires Obama-Biden PR operatives

'Israel' targets children in Gaza collecting water
Palestine

'Israel' strikes Gaza kids fetching water, blames it on 'malfunction'

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS