A popular doctor on TikTok recently explained that people who stay awake before going to bed can experience numerous health problems caused by lack of sleep.
California-based gastroenterologist Saurabh Sethi, known as “Doctor Sethi” on the platform where he has nearly 450,000 followers, recently published a video outlining what happens to your brain and body when you habitually stay awake after midnight.
“If you regularly stay awake after midnight, you may face various problems. I want to explain how sleeping less than seven to nine hours and going to bed late can affect you,” Sethi explains in the short clip. It detailed four problems that lack of sleep can cause, including weight gain, a drop in mood, out-of-control stress levels, and a general struggle with concentration and thinking throughout the day.
“Aim to go to sleep before midnight and stick to a consistent bedtime to improve your overall health, including hormone balance, gut health, and mood,” Seth added. “Aim for seven to nine hours of sleep each night.”
@doktorsethimd What Happens to Your Brain If You Go to Bed After Midnight ⁉️ Dr. Sethi #medical
♬ original audio – Doctor Sethi ⚡️
A new study published earlier this year similarly examined the mental health issues night owls may face; researchers compared participants' preferred sleep behaviors, or “chronotypes,” to their actual sleep behaviors.
“There's a lot of data showing that living in line with your chronotype is very important,” said Renske Lok, lead author of the study. But they ultimately turned out to be wrong when they discovered that people who challenged their natural sleep tendencies and forced themselves to go to bed early yielded generally favorable mental health outcomes.
Those struggling with the nighttime struggle may want to consider a sleep tracking app to help enjoy a better night's sleep and all the benefits that come with it.