Lovers stay up late looking younger
Last reviewed: 27.11.2021
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Controversy of scientists about what distinguishes "larks" and "owls", that is, those who like to get up early and people who prefer to sleep late, continue all the time. A new study showed that people who prefer different modes of the day, differ not only in biological clock, but also with some characteristics related to appearance.
The main objective of the study, conducted at a private university in Korea, was to find out what features are peculiar to people who belong to "owls" and "larks". In the project, 1600 volunteers were selected, whose age was from 47 to 59 years, with different biological rhythms. Researchers classified those who took part in three categories according to their somnological behavior: "larks", "owls", and not related to either or both, were enrolled in the created third category.
After observing the condition, health and well-being of participants in all three groups, the scientists noticed that the chemical composition of the blood was significantly different. For example, in the blood of people belonging to "larks", the proportion of fat metabolism was much lower than that of "owls". And it's interesting that this difference persisted, regardless of their age, sleep time and even lifestyle.
Also, scientists were able to identify differences in people's health, taking into account gender. They found that men belonging to "owls" are much more likely to have a chance of having sarcopenia or diabetes than men "larks". And for women "owls," the mass of subcutaneous fat accumulation in the abdomen and sides was significantly higher than that of women belonging to "larks". And the risk of metabolic syndrome, that is, an increase in the mass of visceral fat, was increased many-fold.
It is important to note that during sarcopenia, a change occurs in the skeletal muscles, as a result, muscle mass is lost, the person weakens. A metabolic syndrome occurs in connection with the general changes and metabolic disorders, which often provoke diabetes and painful changes in the cardiovascular system.
In addition, in the course of the study, scientists found that people related to "owls" have a much lower quality of sleep, they are more prone to unhealthy lifestyles, more at night, smoke and move little. But, despite this, the people of the "owl" looked younger than the "larks", as well as with other subjects, in which the biological rhythm was not so clearly expressed.
How to sleep properly to stay young for longer?
- Try to spend in bed that time, which accounts for the peak production of hormones that retain youth: melatonin (from 12 am to 5 am) and growth hormone (11 pm to 2 am), - advises gerontologist Alexei Moskalev.
- If you are a "genetic owl" ( see above), a much later time of falling asleep and waking up to the body is most likely not harmed - as the internal chronometer is shifted and the peak production time of important hormones also changes, "explains genetic physician Irina Zhegulina.
- Plus or minus a couple of hours in one way or another - like the "owls" and "larks" in the everyday sense - the body is not badly harmed, provided the regime is regular, that is, about the same time of going to bed and going up on weekdays and days off.
- If there are no gene mutations characteristic of "genetic owls", but the person constantly lies much later than the norm - that is, after 1 am, even under the condition of 8 to 9 hour sleep, the risk of unfavorable changes in the body increases. Including those that can accelerate aging.