In the era of social media and movies, contemplating whether to sleep or just push another ten minutes is often a challenge for many.
Getting a good night’s sleep is often easier said than done.
According to a 2022 publication by Health— a medical website, staying up late can lead to a number of health effects.
Neuroscientist and physician at The Mount Sinai Integrative Sleep Centre Dr Andrew Varga said people who go to bed late risk getting high blood pressure.
He added that going to bed late may result in weight gain because by staying up late one tends to eat a lot.
"When people go to bed late, they're up living their lives—and one of the things they're often doing is eating," Varga said.
"If your bedtime is 3 in the morning, you're probably eating around 11 p.m. or midnight, and that's been known to create problems with the way your body handles and metabolises food."
Dr Varga said that people who sleep late get less sleep than those who are early in bed.
"If you can't fall asleep until 2 or 3 in the morning and you have to be at work at 9, you're not going to get as much good-quality sleep as you really should," Dr Varga said.
Lack of enough sleep may also lead to mood-related issues and depression.
According to the Journal of Biological Rhythms 2017 study, people who sleep late are more likely to suppress their feelings.
However, Dr Varga said that some people who sleep late lead healthy lives and that more research is needed to determine the real-life consequences of staying up late.
Not all hope is lost for those who stay up late because they can always turn in a few minutes earlier every night.
