A study reveals that women who are early risers might be less inclined to suffer from depression
On one hand, we know that sleep is a cure-all for our health and that its lack can have serious effects on our body.
However, on the other hand, it is also true that we must strive to sleep as much as possible during the night hours, and not during the day.
A major research conducted at the University of Colorado, in the United States, has indeed shown that waking up early in the morning has considerable benefits, especially for middle-aged women.
What are these benefits due to?
Scholars analyzed 32,000 women around 55 years of age with very different sleep habits. The results left no doubt: those who called themselves a "night owl", and who therefore tended to stay up until the wee hours of the night and then sleep until late in the morning, had a greater risk of developing depression or other emotional disorders.
Even if the chronotype (namely, the characteristic of every human being that indicates in which hours of the day they are more active) can vary a lot from person to person, there is one main factor that is missing from the lives of "night owl" people --- sunlight.
According to experts, the main cause of the development of emotional disorders would be the lack of exposure to sunlight, which affects our mood.
Of course for many women staying awake at night is not a choice, because it can be a necessity arising from work commitments. What to do in these cases?
According to Dr. Céline Vetter, who led the study, we must not over-dramatize! Just take advantage as soon as possible of every opportunity to rebalance your supply of sunlight and fresh air, perhaps doing some physical or sports activities in nature or taking a trip outdoors for a walk or a picnic... Your body and your mind will feel the benefits.
