Having the genetics of a night owl protects night shift workers against sleep loss

Some people have a genetic predisposition to being an 'evening person' and new research led by University of Oxford's Leverhulme Centre for Demographic Science , published in the journal Sleep, finds this protects regular night shift workers against sleep penalties. Up to 25% of public sector employees in the UK do some form of night work. Similar numbers in other countries engage in shift work. But increasing evidence shows night work and persistent circadian rhythm disruption is a serious risk factor for health conditions, including depression, heart disease and type-2 diabetes. Using the UK Biobank , researchers looked at 53,211 workers between 2006 and 2018, to investigate if they had a genetic propensity to 'eveningness'. The study found , night work was associated with significant sleep penalties, the largest of which were observed for individuals who always work nights. According to the study, 'This is given the fact that sleep plays an essential role for physical and mental health.' The CHRONO researchers found overall, those who more frequently worked nights slept less.