Mental health not a hoot for night owls

STAYING up late and lying in could increase your risk of mental illness, experts have warned.

Night owls are at greater risk of depression and schizophrenia, new findings suggest.

Scientists found being a “morning person” could protect against the conditions.

People who go to bed early and wake early report higher mental wellbeing, the University of Exeter researchers say.

Study leader Prof Mike Weedon said: “We’ve provided the strongest evidence to date that ‘night owls’ are at higher risk of mental health problems, such as schizophrenia and lower mental wellbeing.”

They analysed the genes and lifestyles of 697,828 people.

They identified 351 genetic variations linked to being a “morning lark” or “night owl”.

Those with the most “night” variations were programmed to wake up to 25 minutes later.

And they were more likely to suffer from mental health is- sues. But the boffins found no link between these genetic variations, sleep duration and sleep quality.

They also made no difference to the risk of developing type 2 diabetes or obesity.

It is thought the genes affect the effectiveness of the retina, which reacts to sunlight and “resets” the body clock each day.

Our body clocks are influenced by genes and lifestyle factors including diet, exposure to artificial light and our jobs and activities.

The findings, the journal

could treatments for sleep disorders.

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