Which is healthier, going to bed early and getting up early or going to bed late and getting up late?

A friend complained to Huazi about her poor sleep, saying that her parents asked her to go to bed at 8:30 pm and get up at 5:30 am, saying that early to bed and early to rise is good for health. But after she got up early, she felt dizzy and had no energy for the whole day.

Hua Zi said that although there are many propagandas that early sleep and early rise can maintain health, in recent years, research has found that this is not the case. Everyone has different sleep patterns, so don't force yourself to follow a fixed sleep schedule.

1. What determines our sleep time?

The rotation of the earth creates a day-night rhythm. Humans are creatures on earth, so they naturally develop a routine of "working at sunrise and resting at sunset". This routine is called circadian rhythm regulation, also known as "biological clock".

Wakefulness and sleep are like the left and right ends of a scale, always in a state of dynamic balance. If you stay awake for a long time, you will feel tired and promote sleep. If you stay asleep for a long time, you will be awake again. This law is called sleep homeostasis regulation.

Our sleep time is formed under the combined influence of circadian rhythm regulation and sleep homeostasis regulation.

2. Going to bed early and getting up early is healthy, as is going to bed late and getting up late.

The regulation of circadian rhythm is achieved by two substances, cortisol and melatonin. Under the stimulation of light, the secretion of cortisol hormones in the human body increases, which makes people alert and awake. When in a dark environment, the secretion of melatonin increases, which makes people sleepy and easier to fall asleep.

The secretion time of cortisol and melatonin is different for each person. For example, the sun sets at 7 pm. Some people may secrete melatonin at 8 pm, while others may not start secreting melatonin until 10 pm. The time for two people to fall asleep is different.

The timing of melatonin secretion is related to genes. Everyone is born with the tendency to go to bed early and get up early or to go to bed late and get up late, so there is no need to force a sleep time, as long as you ensure that your sleep time is regular.

The quality of sleep is related to the regulation of sleep homeostasis. In other words, the balance between sleep and wakefulness needs to be kept in balance. As long as you don't mess with the balance all the time, it will be less likely to break and the quality of sleep will be better.

Going to bed early or late has nothing to do with nutrient absorption or "organ detoxification". As long as you can sleep regularly and maintain sufficient sleep time, it will not affect your health.

3. Common causes of insomnia

We all have this experience: when we lie in bed, we have all kinds of random thoughts, toss and turn and can't fall asleep, and we also have frequent urination. Many people think that they can't fall asleep because they think too much or because of frequent urination. But in fact, it is because of the inability to fall asleep that they think too much and have frequent urination.

The most common cause of insomnia is anxiety. It manifests as difficulty falling asleep or waking up early after falling asleep. It is mainly caused by excessive stress in life, work, and emotions. Insomnia symptoms can be relieved through psychotherapy and anti-anxiety drugs.

It should be noted that if you suffer from depression, you will 100% be accompanied by anxiety. However, the use of anti-anxiety drugs may aggravate the symptoms of depression, and antidepressants are needed to be effectively treated. Anxiety and depression need to be diagnosed by a psychologist.

If you have the habit of taking a nap, it is recommended that the nap should not exceed 60 minutes, otherwise it may interfere with your normal sleep.

When you have insomnia, you can try the "breathing method to help you sleep". The specific method is to count silently from 1 to 4 while breathing in through your nose, then hold your breath and count silently from 1 to 7, and then slowly exhale through your mouth and count silently from 1 to 8. Repeating this method can help you sleep and relieve stress.

In summary, whether it is suitable for each person to go to bed early and get up early or to go to bed late and get up late is determined by genes. As long as you maintain enough sleep time, whether you go to bed early or go to bed late, it will not affect your health. Disrupting your own sleep pattern may affect your health. If you have anxiety or depression that causes insomnia, you need to take medication under the guidance of a doctor. If you have any questions about medication, please consult a doctor or pharmacist. I am pharmacist Huazi, welcome to follow me and share more health knowledge.