You Were Never Meant To Sleep Early

The science behind our different sleep schedules.

30% of people are natural born late-sleepers.

Why Sleeping Before 11 PM Is Impossible (For Some People)

How many nights have you spent restless in bed, finding it impossible to fall asleep?

We’ve all been there.

Yet, for some, sleeping early has always been a challenge.

Insomnia can have many causes, with stress or excessive caffeine being the usual culprits.

However, science has revealed that some of us are built to operate on a different sleep schedule.

Our Internal Body Clock

Our bodies run on an internal 24-hour cycle called the circadian rhythm.

This complex biological system helps us track time and makes us feel alert during the day and sleepy at night.

It’s also responsible for the drowsiness we often experience around 4 PM, which makes siestas a natural phenomenon.

The latest research reveals that not everyone’s clock is set the same.

You need to know the MVP of the circadian rhythm before we move forward.

The Role of Melatonin

Melatonin, commonly known as the sleep hormone, plays a crucial role in regulating our circadian rhythm.

It is produced late in the evening, or rather in the absence of light.

Light exposure directly influences melatonin production:

• Strong light, especially natural sunlight, puts a stop to melatonin production.
• The longer and stronger the inhibition, the higher the levels of melatonin at night.

Imagine it as a floaty in a pool; the deeper you push it underwater, the faster it bursts out of the water when released.

The trigger for melatonin release is darkness.

It's a fairly simple concept. Now let’s dive deeper.

What The Hell Is A Chronotype?

Researchers around the world have revealed that we have different inclinations towards sleep schedules from birth.

A chronotype is a profile that dictates your sleep habits, deeply influenced by genetics.

The biology behind how chronotypes work is complex, but melatonin is a key player.

The idea however explains why some people wake up early, full of energy, while others are most alert and productive at night.

• Statistically about 40% of individuals are early-birds
• 30% are late-sleepers
• and the remaining 30% fall somewhere in between.

From an evolutionary standpoint, having group members with varying chronotypes is beneficial, ensuring someone is always awake and alert to potential threats.

Late-sleepers Are Most Affected By Our Society.

Remember; chronotypes are not about preference or discipline but about biological predisposition.

It is late-sleepers, or night owls, who find it challenging to conform to society’s standard schedule.

From the early school years to the typical 9–5 workday, late-sleepers are forced into a rhythm that clashes with their internal clock.

The problem is that disregarding our natural propensity can significantly affect our health.

This mismatch can lead to chronic sleep deprivation, impacting everything from work performance to mental health and well-being.

The Consequences of Sleep Deprivation.

When schedules conflict with our chronotype, it can result in chronic sleep deprivation.

This persistent sleep shortage is associated with a higher risk of cardiovascular diseases, obesity, hormonal imbalances, and mental health issues such as depression and anxiety.

Moreover, chronic lack of sleep can impair cognitive functions, reducing alertness, decision-making abilities, and memory.

It can also impair cognitive functions, reducing alertness, decision-making capacity, and memory.

The effects can be severe; particularly since sleep deficits can start accumulating in childhood for those with late-sleeper chronotypes.

What We Can Do To Sleep Better.

Studying the science behind sleep, chronotypes, and melatonin provides us with a few actionable steps we can take to improve our sleep schedules.

1. Recognize your chronotype.

• You can use this questionnaire to discover your chronotype.
• Work with your biology — not against it. Acknowledge your natural tendency and design a schedule to accommodate it.

2. Adjust light exposure.

• Get as much direct sunlight as you can.
• Dim the lights and avoid blue screens before bedtime.

3. Keep your sleep consistent.

• Whatever your chronotype, there is some room for adaptability.
• Stick to a regular sleep schedule as much as possible, even on weekends.

4. Manually reset your internal clock.

• You can take melatonin to promote sleep and adjust your body clock to your schedule.
• Melatonin is most effective when taken at the same time of day over a longer period.
• Research shows additional benefits to melatonin use, as it’s also an anti-oxidant and a neural protective factor.

Please advise with your doctor or pharmacist before starting a new medication.

My Story

I had the pleasure of meeting one of the lead researchers in the study of chronotypes and circadian rhythm variations — Prof. Einat Haim.

We discussed the measures a clinician can take to address circadian rhythm variations. Melatonin was a major component, among other sleep improvement strategies.

Being a late-sleeper myself, I decided to try out melatonin myself before administering it to my patients.

I’m happy to report that my bedtime hours have conformed to the demands of my early schedule. On average, I manage to sleep 1-2 hours earlier.

Nonetheless, I will always remain a night owl at heart and forever enjoy typing away in the midnight hour when the world is quiet.

Engage in the comments for any questions!

Thank you for reading!

I’m a mental health professional from Greece, splitting my time between Psychiatry, Psychotherapy, and obsessively writing on Medium.

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My deepest appreciation,

Orestis.