Going to bed after this time could harm your mental health. What Stanford Research says
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The Study and Methodology
The study, published in Psychiatry Research, involved 73,880 middle-aged and older adults. Participants were asked about their sleep habits, including whether they preferred staying up late or waking up early. Their chronotypes—natural tendencies for wakefulness and sleep—were also considered.
To ensure accuracy, participants were equipped with wearable monitors to track their sleep patterns for a week. Their sleep behaviors were categorized into three groups: early sleepers (earliest 25%), intermediate sleepers (middle 50%), and late sleepers (latest 25%). This classification helped account for varying definitions of ‘early’ and ‘late’ across different demographics.
Researchers then cross-referenced these sleep patterns with participants’ mental health records to assess potential correlations between bedtime and mental well-being.
Key Findings
The study found that going to bed late and waking up later was linked to an increased risk of mental health disorders, such as anxiety and depression. While many individuals believe they function better at night, the research suggests that misaligned sleep schedules can negatively impact mental health.
“When the researchers analyzed the data, they were surprised to find that aligning with one's chronotype was not the best choice for everyone's mental health. It was better, in fact, for night owls to lead a misaligned life,” Stanford Medicine reported.
The study concluded that individuals should aim to be in
