Scientists say night owls still more tired than early birds because genetics

tunisante November 10, 2016

Sleep scientists say people have their own personal ‘clock’
They say we are wired to either be early birds or night owls
Night owls who sleep more than early birds are still more tired daily
Genetic wiring means people are predisposed to sleep at different times

Lauren Ingram For Daily Mail

Published:
22:02 EST, 9 November 2016

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Updated:
22:02 EST, 9 November 2016

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Heard of the term ‘social jet lag’?

It’s a concept that relates to the feeling some people have in the morning when forced to get up to go to work or school and feeling sleepier than ever.

For a couple of years now, sleep scientists have been exploring it and trying to understand why some people suffer from it more than others.

Snooze: Sleep scientists say that people are suffering from ‘social jet lag’ when they are night owls that have to get up early

New research published in the medical journal Pediatrics surveyed High School students on their sleep habits.

They divided the students into two groups post research, those who considered themselves night owls and those who were early risers.

The study found that even when students clocked in the same hours in bed, there were significant behavioural, cognitive and emotional differences between the early risers and the night owls.

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Rise and shine: Sleep experts say people have a personal clock and are wired to sleep better and wake up at different times

Night owls who got more sleep than their early riser peers still suffered more from daytime sleepiness.

This, scientists said, is due to a person’s chronotype – otherwise known as their personal body ‘clock’ – a genetic wiring they have makes their body predisposed to sleep at different times during the day or night.

It means those who find it hard to get out of bed in the morning and need an extra coffee during the day aren’t lazy—their body might just be genetically programmed to work better at night.

Nodding off: Night owls who slept more than early birds still felt more tired during the day because they had to get up early

This has caused many sleep experts to call for better flexibility for workers, by not mandating a nine to five work day, and urging to not start any earlier than 8:30am.

Essentially, in order to have the best rest and be as productive as possible during the day, it’s not just about how long you sleep, but when. .