When you prefer to go to bed and wake up is called your chronotype, and in addition to night owls are “morning larks” who go to sleep early and wake early, and then the non-bird designation of “intermediate” who are between the larks and the owls. Analyzing the data on 1,684 adolescents between ages 13 and 14, researchers noted that the owls reported higher levels of wheezing, more risk of asthma, and more respiratory symptoms overall. This remained true even when taking other allergy factors into consideration such as genetics, exposure to pets, and living in an urban area. This is the first study to look at teens specifically when it comes to chronotype and allergies, but the researchers do note there were limitations—for example, the data was based on a questionnaire rather than sleep studies, which means they couldn’t track sleep duration and activity. They also were unable to do blood cell counts or allergen-sensitivity tests as a way to measure allergy levels. Even with that caveat, it’s not the first study to link chronotype with health risks. Previous studies have noted that night owls tend to have higher risk of:
cardiac issuesmetabolic diseasepsychological disordersrespiratory diseasecircadian rhythm issues
Not Just for Teens
Although the recent study focused on teenagers, sleep deprivation may affect adults in a similar way, says Mitchell Grayson, MD, advisor to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America and specialist in pediatric allergy, asthma and immunology at Nationwide Children’s Hospital. In other words, allergy and asthma symptoms may not be worse, it’s just that having less patience or feeling stressed can make them seem more problematic. But being the type who stays up late may also be a factor for adults as well as teens, according to a 2014 study in Chronobiology International. In that research, evening chronotypes also showed increased likelihood for respiratory symptoms and disease, including asthma. They were at higher risk, too, for wheezy breathing without infection and waking up with shortness of breath compared to morning types.
Better Sleep, Better Breathing
In terms of why both teens and adults who are night owls might have more breathing issues, that mechanism still remains largely unknown, says Grayson. It could have to do with levels of melatonin and cortisol, the hormones related to the drowsy-awake response, but more research needs to be done to determine the connection. Even if it’s challenging to convince a teen to get to bed earlier, there are still solid sleep habits that can make a difference, according to Michael Breus, PhD, clinical psychologist fellow the American Academy of Sleep Medicine:
Cut back or eliminate caffeine in the evening, including high-caffeine sodas and energy drinksDiscourage daily naps, particularly long ones.Suggest a bedtime routine without screens, even if a teen goes to bed in the wee hours.Get natural light in the morning (or early afternoon, depending on wakeup time), since that can help reset an internal body clock.Have family wind-down time in the evening, which can help improve everyone’s sleep.
Also, keep a log of worsening symptoms and when they’re occurring, along with any lifestyle-related issues like other allergies.
