When daylight saving time ends and we gain an extra hour, it may feel like a bonus for many people. However, for night owls, who naturally prefer staying up late and waking up late, this time of year can be particularly challenging.
The reason behind this struggle lies in the science of our internal clocks. Our chronotype, which is our natural preference for waking and sleeping at certain times, is partly genetic and influences our body’s natural rhythms. For night owls, the sudden change in daylight saving time can disrupt their already shifted biological rhythm, making it difficult to align with societal demands like work and school schedules.
Night owls often face social jet lag, where their internal body clock is out of sync with societal norms. This can lead to increased stress, lower mood, and even health effects such as poorer cardiovascular health. Additionally, those with an evening chronotype have a harder time adapting to abrupt changes in sleep patterns, as their melatonin is released later in the evening.
Research conducted in polar regions, where there are extreme daylight conditions, offers insights into how different chronotypes adapt. Morning people tend to fare better in prolonged daylight, while evening people struggle with long periods of darkness. These insights could be crucial for future space exploration, where adapting to unique time cues will be essential.
The struggle faced by night owls isn’t just about feeling tired; it can affect productivity, mental health, and life satisfaction. People with later chronotypes are more susceptible to seasonal affective symptoms when the days get shorter, as they may be deprived of morning light that helps regulate circadian rhythms.
Morning light, which contains a higher amount of blue light, is crucial for regulating circadian rhythms. Exposure to natural morning light helps reset the internal clock and stimulates the body’s production of cortisol. Night owls often face practical challenges due to the misalignment between their natural sleep patterns and traditional work or school schedules, leading to chronic sleep deprivation and potential health issues.
Activities like outdoor exercise in natural light can help regulate circadian rhythms and improve mood and wellbeing. However, night owls who miss morning light may not benefit from these activities as much. By recognizing and validating these differences in chronotypes, we can create environments that support the needs of everyone, not just early birds.
The challenges faced by night owls when daylight saving time ends shed light on how societal schedules may not always accommodate the diversity of human biology. Recognizing these differences is the first step in supporting individuals whose internal clocks do not align with the norm, whether through flexible work hours, light therapy, or increased awareness of chronotype variations.