MODERN day distractions can make switching off at a reasonable hour almost impossible for some people.
The bottomless pit of entertainment phones now provide, coffee shops on every corner and apps like Netflix all work in sync to throw of our sleep schedules.
GettyLate night’s can do more harm than leaving you feeling a bit groggy in the morning.[/caption]
But late nights can do more harm than just leaving you feeling a bit groggy in the morning.
Studies have shown staying up until the early hours can also leave you at risk of several silent killers…
1. Heart disease
Staying up into the early hours a few times a week can increase your chances of heart disease, several studies have suggested.
This is because heart and blood vessels are regulated by the body’s sleep-wake cycle.
People who nod off later than 11pm are up to 25 per cent more likely to get heart disease or have a stroke, health tech company Huma, found.
A separate study discovered that people with type 2 diabetes are especially at risk.
People with the disease who get less than six hours’ sleep a night doubles the chance of dying from a heart attack or stroke.
2. Type 2 diabetes
Night owls are also more likely to develop type 2 diabetes than those who go to bed early, scientists have found.
A study found those who stay up late were less active in the day and worse at using fat for energy, resulting in a build-up of fats which can lead to type 2 diabetes.
Those staying up late were also less sensitive to insulin, potentially harming health, US scientists from Rutgers University in New Jersey, found.
On the other hand, early birds were found to burn fat for energy rather than carbohydrates — thus reducing risk — be more active in the day be and more aerobically fit.
3. Depression
Staying up late can sometimes feel like you are winning more hours back in the day, which is a good thing, right?
According to sleep expert Jeff Spires staying up till the early hours can actually make you more depressed.
“Going to sleep in the early hours of the morning and waking late morning results in you missing out on a large amount of daylight, especially in the winter months.
“Vitamin D is really important for our health – both physical and emotional.
“A lack of vitamin D can lead to bone deformities, muscle weakness and a weakened immune system, along with increasing your risk of depression and anxiety.”
4. Cancer
One study published this week found women who go to bed late have almost double the risk of breast cancer than early-risers.
Research, funded by Cancer Research UK examined how sleeping habits affect our chances of developing cancer, and found that larks were 48 per cent less likely to develop cancer and 40 per cent less likely to develop breast cancer.