Night owls at risk of early retirement due to health factors, say researchers
NIGHT owls and people who do not get enough sleep during the week are inefficient workers and are more likely to retire early because of their health, scientists found.
Not getting the recommended seven or more hours of kip a night and then sleeping it off on the weekend makes them twice as likely to under perform at work, according to a new university study.
Whether someone prefers late nights or early morning, known as their chronotype, is largely down to genetics.
However, environmental factors, such as exposure to daylight, work schedules, and family life also influence it.
Morning chronotypes, commonly called larks, get a good sleep and so perform better at sunrise.
In contrast, evening chronotypes, or night owls, do not usually get enough sleep, yet they still have to wake up for work. This means they usually have to sacrifice their days off to catch-up on sleep, known as social jet lag.
Long-term sleep deprivation has been linked to poorer overall health and cognitive performance. It could also be holding back a large portion of the workforce, the researchers said.
The study, conducted by researchers at the University of Oulu in Finland, was published in BMJ.
Professor Leena Ala-mursula said: “Given the move to lengthen working life and delay pension eligibility, it might be worth factoring in a person’s chronotype.”
Data from an ongoing study involving 12,058 Finnish children born in 1966 was analysed by the researchers. Participants were quizzed about their working life and health when they turned 46.