The myth is over: getting up early is bad for your health, says a study

April 25, 2024

Are you one of those who costs you early? Well, you're in luck If a study had recently come to light that smart people prefer to live at night and have trouble sleeping, new research now indicates that early-risers often suffer more health problems.

The data of this investigation belie the myth that "whoever gets up early, God helps him". According to this research, people who wake up early in the morning tend to suffer greater stress and have higher levels of a hormone related to this phenomenon, cortisol. But not only that, but They are more prone to suffer headaches, muscle aches, colds and have more bad moods .

From now on, and against what your mother or your partner says, do not feel guilty if you fall asleep during the morning, because according to the group of scientists who carried out this study, you will be spoiling your body.

Data from the study conducted by the University of Westminster (United Kingdom)

The study was conducted at the prestigious University of Westminster (United Kingdom) and had 42 subjects. They were sampled every eight hours for two days. The first sample was taken just as they were getting out of bed.

The analysis of these samples determined that half of the people who rose between 5:22 am and 7.21am had higher levels of cortisol than the individuals who got up later. Not only that, but high levels of this hormone related to stress remained high throughout the day.

According to the data, the cause of this is not found in the sleeping hours, but in getting up before 7:21 a.m., but the investigators. Come on, that It does not seem that early morning is all good for our body .

10 weeks of follow-up

In the 10-week follow-up, the team of researchers, led by Angela Clow, found that the early risers reported higher levels of muscle pain, symptoms of colds and headaches, as well as bad moods. In the words of Clow herself: "This work is interesting because it provides data on the physiological basis of the differences between people who wake up early and wake up late."

In addition, the researcher added: "So far, waking up early was associated with greater concentration, and greater activity, but also to experience more problems throughout the day, as well as higher levels of anger and less energy at the end of the day . On the other hand, people who get up late are associated with a slower and less busy behavior. "

The influence of cortisol on stress

Scientists claim that cortisol, a hormone that is synthesized and released into the blood from the adrenal glands, may be responsible for these differences in temperament and is known to influence mood and concentration. Cortisol helps the body cope with stressful situations by releasing stored energy and prepare the muscles for action. In addition, it inhibits the body to feel pain and reduce inflammation.

Professor Neil Douglas, director of the National Sleep Center in Scotland, warns that there are many factors that influence high levels of cortisol in the body, including age and obesity.

Tips to reduce stress

Stress is one of the psychological phenomena that affects more people , and in fact it has been baptized as the epidemic of the 21st century. Few people wonder about this, because the lifestyle of Western societies contributes to the development of this phenomenon.

If you are currently going through a stressful period, there are a series of habits or behaviors that you can carry out to reduce the symptomatology. So follow these tips: