The night owls among us love staying up late and sleeping in. No one knows exactly why some people prefer the nighttime hours, while others take the early to bed, early to rise approach. For night owls, staying up all night can feel natural to you and even seem like adding more hours for fun and work into the day. But those late nights will catch up with you eventually. Burning the midnight oil on a regular basis, even if you’re getting enough sleep overall, has several long-term consequences to your health. Take a look at 10 ways of being a night owl can affect your health.

1. Higher Body Fat

Regardless of their lifestyle, people who stay up late on a regular basis have higher levels of body fat, plus an elevated risk for diabetes.

2. Depression

Night owls are at a higher risk for depression than early birds. Staying up all night can also lead to unhealthy habits, such as drinking or snacking. 

3. Higher Blood Pressure

Recent studies have shown that people who stay up late are more likely than early risers to have high blood pressure. This may be related to physiological and psychological stress that can also result from late nights.

4. Missed Workouts

After a late-night, who wants to get up early to go to the gym? When your alarm goes off, you’re more likely to hit snooze than get up and put on your running shoes. Research has shown that night owl have a harder time finding time to exercise and staying on track with a workout schedule.

5. Weight Gain

Staying up all night means more opportunities for snacking. These midnight snacks add up into extra weight gain for night owls, who tend to eat more calories than early birds. Eating in the middle of the night disrupts your body’s fasting period, making it harder to metabolize food.

6. Sleep Deprivation

If you don’t fall asleep until after midnight and need to get up for work by 7 a.m., that doesn’t leave a lot of time for rest. Some night owls may try to make up for lost sleep on the weekends, but overall, people who stay up late end up getting less sleep overall.

7. Risk-Taking

Studies have even shown that not getting a good night’s sleep and staying up late is associated with more risk-taking behaviors. Boldness isn’t always a negative, but it can lead to some unhealthy habits such as gambling. 

8. Less Companionship 

Night owls are more likely to be single than the early-to-bed types, who are more likely to have long-term partners. There’s nothing wrong with being single, but companionship is definitely good for your physical and mental health. 

9. School Performance

Teenage night owls have problems too. Many teenagers have trouble getting to sleep before midnight, whether it’s mental and hormonal changes or anything from social media to homework keeping them up. Sadly, studies have shown that teens who go to bed later than 11:30 p.m. have lower grade point averages, and are more vulnerable to emotional problems.

10. Bad Mood

You really can wake up on the wrong side of the bed. Studies have shown that night owl are less agreeable and kind in the morning, and they may have a hard time regulating their emotions throughout the day.

A Good Night’s Sleep With eLuxury

Do all the risks of being a night owl have you motivated to go to bed at a decent hour? For some people, trying to fall asleep early, even with the best intentions, just doesn’t come naturally. Give it a few days of gradually adjusting your schedule. Another great way to help you fall asleep on time is by making sure you have a comfortable mattress or mattress topper, plus cozy sheets, bedspread, and pillows. To get you sleeping earlier and better, try eLuxury products for a good night's sleep.