Is there a connection between being a night owl and having allergies? A recent study found that among teenagers asthma and allergies were more common in those who stayed up late at night and slept in, than in their “early bird” counterparts. The “night owls” were three times as likely to develop asthma and twice as likely to have allergic rhinitis. The disruption of melatonin may be the underlying mechanism behind these findings. For teenagers, as well as other age groups, being an “early bird” may well have health benefits.
Source:
Haldar, P., Carsin, A., Debnath, S., Maity, S. G., Annesi-Maesano, I., Garcia-Aymerich, J., Bandyopadhayay, A., Moitra, S., Kogevinas, M., and Moitra, S. (2020) Individual circadian preference (chronotype) is associated with asthma and allergic symptoms among adolescents. ERJ Open Research, 2020 6: 00226-2020; DOI: 10.1183/23120541.00226-2020