'Night owls' die younger might die younger

Scientists have found that those who go to bed later are at a greater risk of cancer and heart disease as they are prone to boozing, smoking and partying.

The Finnish study involved 23,000 people and identified their 'chronotype' – a genetic predisposition towards being active in the evenings or mornings.

The participants had an average age of 41 and their health and lifestyles were tracked for 37 years. The overall chance of passing away during the study period was nine per cent higher in night people compared to early risers.

Experts believe this is almost entirely due to the lifestyles adopted by night owls.

Study author Dr Christer Hublin, from the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health in Helsinki, said: "The increased risk of mortality associated with being a clearly 'evening' person appears to be mainly accounted for by a larger consumption of tobacco and alcohol. This is compared to those who are clearly 'morning' persons.

"Our findings suggest that there is little or no independent contribution of chronotype to mortality."

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