Can Staying Up Late Increase Anxiety?

Photo: Valerii Apetroaiei / iStock / Getty Images

I've always been a night person. I like when I come to work because the roads don't suck, people are still in the middle of their workday, and here I am just rolling into the office with no stress of traffic, or anyone in my way. It wasn't always this way. At least for me. It caused me a bunch of anxiety and loneliness that I couldn't explain.

Sure, I had a ton of fun. But I'm not just the "lets go to a bar, and pick up someone to hook up with" kind of person. I like real connections, and laughing. But working on a different schedule than most is all part of this.

Have you ever noticed when you stay up, that you have anxiety about being alone...not just for now, but forever? It's a thing.

Brigham Young University researchers studied 442 people with online surveys. It was about sleep preferences, loneliness and anxiety, and the results showed "Night Owls" have greater loneliness at night, which directly contributed to increased anxiety.

So when you have that feeling come over you, just know it's normal. Doesn't make it fun, but it is normal. Maybe it's time for a new job?