If you take away one component of this equation then the night owls go away. A night owl equals genetic tendencies plus a modern lifestyle. This gets back to the equation of a night owl. Locking ourselves up in dark homes or offices during the day and then living by electric light and electronic devices at night will bring out the night owl tendencies in anyone. What lessons can we learn from the Rocky Mountain Sleep Study and from China’s Longevity Village? The take home message is that if people are exposed to natural light during the day and have no access to artificial light at night then their circadian rhythm will naturally be in sync with the sun. Modern studies have shown that the wavelength of light from fires and candles is such that it does not activate the brain the same way blue light does from electric lights and electronic devices. Prior to electric lights, night owls didn’t exist when all you had were fires or candles. The answer is generally, “no.” Based on our study of China’s Longevity Village, until recently there were no night owls.Įlectric lighting is a recent phenomenon to this Village. Are There Night Owls in China’s Longevity Village?Īn interesting question is whether or not there are any night owls in more natural or ancestral environments. Natural melatonin production turned off with sunrise.ĥ. Natural melatonin production began at sunset.Ĥ. People were exposed to 4-times more light during the day in a natural environment.ģ. People fell asleep and awoke 2 hours earlier in a natural environment.Ģ. In addition, researchers also found the following:ġ. Everyone’s circadian rhythm, or their own internal 24 hour clock, was in sync with sun. Interestingly, at the end of the week there were no night owls. Study participants did have access to campfire light at night. Also, as part of the study, all electronic devices or artificial light, including flashlights, were completely banned. There, they camped in a location far away from any light pollution. For the second week of the study, they took these people high up in the Rocky Mountains. Their study group of people consisted of both “night owls” and “morning larks.”įor the first week of the study, they extensively studied these people in their natural “modern lifestyle” sleeping state. In a classic study, researchers at the University of Colorado, Boulder studied this question. The night owl syndrome also equals the wrong genes plus our modern lifestyle. Obesity equals the wrong genes plus a modern lifestyle. Many researchers have said that the equation for obesity is really quite simple. Genes for the Night Owl SyndromeĮven if you have the CLOCK gene, are you destined to be a night owl for the rest of your life? From these studies, the genes controlling for circadian rhythm are also tightly linked to mood, weight gain, and concentration. In humans, studies show that people with the CLOCK gene also frequently suffer from attention deficit disorder (ADD or ADHD). In these mice, not only is their circadian rhythm out of sync with the sun causing sleep disorders, but they also frequently suffer from mood changes, difficulties with pregnancy, and with obesity. Mice possessing the CLOCK gene have been studied extensively. This genetic tendency toward an altered circadian rhythm keeps them up at night unless they are careful to control their environment. The circadian rhythm is your built in 24 hour clock. People with the CLOCK gene have a genetic predisposition to an altered circadian rhythm. In the medical studies, night owls are often referred to as the “evening chronotype.” Interestingly, researchers have now identified the “Night Owl Gene” or the “ CLOCK gene” as it is known in the medical literature. Some night owls have told me that they are genetically “hard-wired” to stay up late at night. In this article we will explore what makes people night owls, the health risks of night owls, and 9 ways to stop being a night owl. Could his night owl ways be contributing to his heart condition? The trouble was that he was always hungry late at night, had troubles getting up in the morning, and was now was seeing me for heart problems. He was a computer programmer and told me, “I do my best work between 8 pm and midnight.” Does this also sound like you? Jeff struggled with weight issues his entire life. Subscribe: RSS 9 Ways to Stop Being a Night Owl
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