Going to bed after 1 AM linked to increased mental health risks

In a recent study published in "Psychiatry Research," experts analyzed data concerning sleep and health from nearly 74,000 people in the United Kingdom. Those who regularly went to bed after 1 AM were more prone to mental health issues such as depression and anxiety than those who went to bed earlier.

It didn't matter whether the participants considered themselves "early birds" or "night owls"—going to bed after 1 AM was associated with poorer mental health in both groups. Furthermore, individuals who identified as "night owls" and went to bed after 1 AM were most at risk for adverse consequences. People who went to bed earlier had fewer diagnoses of mental health issues.

Dr. Indira Gurubhagavatula, a professor of medicine in the sleep medicine department at the University of Pennsylvania, who is not associated with the study, commented on these findings for HuffPost. She noted that the British study had its limitations—the UK Biobank database, based on which the results mainly consisted of middle-aged or older white individuals. This indicates the need for further research on more diverse populations. However, Dr. Gurubhagavatula remarked that the UK results were consistent with her expectations and current scientific knowledge.

Dr. Gurubhagavatula explained that some brain functions are more susceptible to losing sleep quality than others. She stated: "For example, [sleep-deprived—editor's note] you can chew gum, you can talk, you can walk, but the frontal lobe is very sensitive to sleep deprivation." The frontal lobe controls many key brain functions, including mood and emotional regulation.

The professor concluded: "So our ability to not swing from one emotion to another—this ability to inhibit oneself—gets impaired under sleep deprivation or staying active very late into the night. This can lead to greater negativity and more anxiety because the higher brain functions that would regulate these emotions are dulled."