Remember all-nighters? Why staying up late gets harder as we age
Missing those epic all-nighters? Blame your internal clock! We take a look at the science behind your fading love for late nights and offer tips to outsmart your body.
Ah, the golden days of youth. Remember those nights that bled into mornings, fuelled by cheap pizza and questionable life choices?
As glorious as those times may have been, most adults find themselves yearning for an earlier bedtime these days. But why? Is it just a case of "getting old”, or is there some science behind the struggle to stay up late?
Turns out, there's definitely some science involved. Our bodies are governed by an internal clock called the circadian rhythm, which regulates sleep-wake cycles, according to Sleep Foundation.
This rhythm is influenced by light exposure and as teenagers, our bodies naturally shift towards later sleep phases. This explains why staying up late felt so easy back then.
However, as we age, this rhythm starts to shift back towards an earlier sleep phase, reports MedlinePlus. This means our bodies naturally produce melatonin, the sleep hormone, earlier in the evening.Read More: Planning parties just got easier as WhatsApp unveils new events feature
This combined with a decrease in deep sleep as we get older makes late nights less appealing and more exhausting.
But it's not all doom and gloom! Just like teenagers can adjust their sleep schedules with consistent light exposure, adults can too. Sticking to a regular sleep schedule, even on weekends, can help regulate your circadian rhythm, according to the New York Times.
Additionally, maximising morning sunlight exposure and minimising screen time before bed can also promote better sleep and potentially push back your bedtime a bit.
While those all-nighters might be a thing of the past, there are ways to optimise your sleep as an adult. Who knows, maybe with some effort, you can reclaim a few glorious hours of late-night productivity (or Netflix binging, no judgement here).
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