Night owl behavior sabotages mental healthand late bedtimes destroy our sleep quality.
However, it is trendy to stay up late and sometimes even pull an all-nighter. It becomes so normalized that we forget that sleep hygiene is actually important. Beyond physical health, there are so many reasons why people who go to bed at 21.00 every evening, also is much happier than everyone else.
Why do people who go to bed at 21 every night, usually is much happier
1. They wake up well rested
Perfect wave | Shutterstock
Despite being one incredibly overlooked part of wellness and mental healthsleep quality and duration are irreplaceable parts of our lives. If we don’t get enough sleep consistently every night, everything around us starts to unravel, from obvious things like our concentration to our relationships at home.
So it may seem simple and obvious that someone who goes to bed early is likely to get more sleep each and every night and come across as the most rested version of themselves, but it’s nuanced. Even compared to people who go to bed later and get the same amount of sleep, people who go to bed earlier tend to be more rested.
2. They get more physical activity
A PNAS study revealed that people with earlier bedtimes tend to get more physical activity in the waking hours than those with later bedtimes. Whether it’s simply having more time during the day or actually tending to move their bodies more often, both of which the study’s researchers suggest as possible reasons, people who go to bed by 9 p.m. each night get more exercise.
It is this kind of regular, consistent movement that makes people feel better in their skin and happier in their livesboth over time and immediately.
3. They create space for mindfulness
Instead of waking up and immediately rushing to work or getting ready for the day in a tired haze, people who go to bed and get up early make room for mindfulness. The may have a morning routine it is only for themselves, because they are not pressed for time.
Whether it’s drinking coffee or walking their dog, it’s this kind of conscious attention, even in small doses, that makes people significantly happier. Another survey shared by Emotion revealed that this is just one of the many reasons why early risers tend to be happier and healthier than those with later bedtimes and wake-ups.
4. They are less prone to depression
We often think that people at risk of depression will develop it no matter what, but we actually have some elements of mental health within our control. For example as a study from JAMA Psychiatry explains, sleep is a big influence. When people go to bed at midnight, their risk of depression increases by almost 25% compared to the average person.
Given that night owl behavior is usually conducive to overthinking and depressive symptoms, choosing an early bedtime is an incredibly accessible way to avoid mental health.
5. They stick to the same routine
PeopleImages | Shutterstock
Instead of falling into a poor sleep routine on the weekends that conflicts with their schedule during the week, as many night owls do, people who consistently go to bed early protect their well-being. They don’t throw themselves out of a routine and put their Monday mornings on the line. They ensure their bedtime so that they always wake up rested.
Of course, this does not mean that people who go to bed at 9 p.m., can’t also go out with friends or make exceptions to meet people when they can. This means they value consistency and feel more at peace with a consistent schedule.
6. They are better parents
Instead of operating on a completely different sleep schedule than their children and coming across as the most exhausted, irritable parent possible, many early bedtimes protect their relationships with their families.
Sometimes it’s impossible to stick to exactly the same routine or avoid the tiredness that a morning brings, but usually these parents who have better mood and more energy.
7. They can relax naturally
Instead of turning to mindless entertainment or their phone, early risers often rely on other hobbies to wind down. Especially when keeping an early bedtime can sometimes be challenging in our current culture, habits like reading in bed or charging their phone in another room are common for these individuals.
Sometimes it’s these habits that we find boring or too quiet that end up being the key to better sleep and happiness over time.
8. They get more natural light
According to a study by BMC Public Healthto get more natural light before 10 is associated with an earlier bedtime, but also a more coordinated circadian rhythm and a boosted sense of well-being. UCLA experts agree that natural light is incredibly influential on our mood, with the power to boost our happiness in just a few minutes first thing in the morning.
Even if it’s just drinking their coffee before getting ready or resting in bed with the curtains open, their ability to rise with the sun makes it easier to boost their energy and mood in the morning.
9. They don’t have to deal with social jet lag
PeopleImages | Shutterstock
“Social jet lag,” the kind of social mismatch chronically fatigued night owls face, is common associated with worsening mental health. Not only are they often disengaged in work meetings, but they also tend to be socially detached from loved ones and friends because their brains are catching up.
They always are deals with an underlying theme of fatigueespecially on the days when they really have to wake up early despite not having enough sleep.
Zayda Slabbekoorn is a senior editorial strategist with a bachelor’s degree in social relations & politics and gender studies, focusing on psychology, relationships, self-help and human interest stories.
