When it comes to sleep, there is no justice or equality:some people need few hours to be fit, while others still feel tired after 8 hours, some don't can't sleep when others can take 15-minute restorative naps… And there's one habit that's more “annoying” than the others, and that's night owls. A study published in the journal Sleep Medicine and quoted by The Independent explains that "night owls" are out of step with the world of work (or studies), but that it is possible to change their habits in 3 weeks.
The researchers (from British and Australian universities) thus studied the behavior of 22 people, whose average bedtime was 2:30 a.m., and that of getting up at 10:15 a.m. For 3 weeks, they were asked to advance their bedtime by 2 to 3 hours, and not to make a difference between weekdays and weekend days. They also had to enjoy the sun in the morning, eat their breakfast shortly after waking up, eat at a fixed time at noon and not have dinner after 7 p.m. Results ? All participants reported feeling less stressed and depressed, and more awake during the day. Improvements in reaction time and physical strength were also noted, while peak performance time shifted from evening to afternoon. Researchers now want to find the link between sleep habits and mental health. To be continued…
