Bedtime & Mental Health
Your chronotype is when you identify as a morning person (lark) or an evening person (owl). Scientists were interested in the relationship between chronotype, bedtime, and mental health. Prior research indicated that people who aligned their chronotype with their bedtime, larks went to bed early and owls went to bed late, had better mental health than people whose chronotype and behavior was misaligned, larks had to stay up later than desired and owls had to sleep earlier than desired.
Researchers collected data from 73,888 middle-aged and older adults on chronotype, sleep behaviors, and anxiety, depression, and mental-behavioral-neurodevelopmental disorders from the UK Biobank.
They were surprised to discover that for all chronotypes, having an earlier bedtime is better for mental health. While this study did not investigate the reasons for this finding, the prefrontal cortex in the thinking brain oversees cognitive control, including risk assessment and behavioral inhibition. Staying up late is associated with impulsivity and poorer decision-making. The data indicated that going to bed before 1:00 am, for both larks and owls, can benefit well-being.
Takeaway: Whether you are an early bird or a night owl, an earlier bedtime can improve mental health.
Well-being is a journey, not a quick fix.
The Legal Brain: A Lawyer’s Guide to Well-being and Better Job Performance is available on Amazon and Cambridge University Press (AUSTIN24 at checkout for 20% discount from Cambridge).
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In The Legal Brain, Professor Austin pulls together in one place what so many of us desire to have: the most current data on mental health and well-being, particularly in the legal profession, how brain science applies – with explanations we can understand! – and the questions that need to be asked as well as the actions that can be taken. A must-read for those who care about the future of the legal profession.
David B. Jaffe, Associate Dean for Student Affairs, American University Washington College of Law
Source
Renske Lok, et al., Perils of the nighttime: Impact of behavioral timing and preference on mental health in 73,888 community-dwelling adults - ScienceDirect, July 2024.
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