A recent study has found that highly educated night owls experience significant cognitive decline over a decade, while those with less education are unaffected regardless of sleep preferences. The researchers discovered that the rigid work schedules typical of office jobs force night owls into chronic “social jetlag,” creating conflict between their natural sleep rhythms.
The study, which analyzed data from 23,798 adults aged 40 and older in the Netherlands, found that each hour shift toward being a night owl was associated with a 0.80-point decline in cognitive test scores over 10 years. Poor sleep quality and smoking habits explained about 25% of the brain fog connection.
The researchers suggest that flexible work schedules could benefit highly educated night owls by allowing them to work with their natural rhythms, rather than constantly battling against them. Targeted sleep improvement and smoking cessation programs for night owls in demanding careers could also help mitigate the damage caused by social jetlag.
With millions of Americans naturally preferring late sleep schedules, this study highlights the importance of finding ways to work with one’s biological clock to protect brain health.
Source: https://studyfinds.org/night-owls-dementia-education