{
  "id": 10799971,
  "title": "Night owls may struggle to continue working until official retirement age",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/29/night-owls-may-struggle-to-continue-working-until-official-retirement",
  "topic": "science",
  "section": "Science",
  "published": "2026-09-29T22:30:04.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Medical Xpress",
    "slug": "medical-xpress",
    "url": "https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-09-night-owls-struggle-age.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Recent research suggests that individuals with evening chronotypes, commonly known as \"night owls,\" may face a higher likelihood of receiving a disability pension compared to those with morning chronotypes, or \"morning larks.\" This finding comes from a study of middle-aged adults in Finland, who were tracked for 12 years following their mid-40s.\n\nThe study, published in Occupational & Environmental Medicine, found that E-types were 1.7 times more likely to receive a disability pension over the subsequent 12 years than M-types, regardless of socioeconomic factors such as education level and occupation. The researchers believe that this association can be attributed to the poorer health of E-types, which may result from unhealthy lifestyle choices and disruptions to their circadian rhythms, leading to sleep issues.\n\nChronotype, or an individual's natural sleep-wake pattern, is largely determined by genetics and is relatively stable throughout adulthood. The study's large sample size and long follow-up period provide a robust foundation for its conclusions. However, as an observational study, it cannot definitively establish a cause-and-effect relationship between chronotype and disability pension eligibility.\n\nThe researchers emphasize that evening chronotypes represent a substantial portion of the population and highlight the potential challenges for economies as these individuals approach retirement age. Despite some limitations, such as not accounting for changes in health and circumstances after the initial survey, the study provides valuable insights into the potential health implications of chronotype on work longevity and retirement planning.",
  "summary": "People with evening chronotypes are 1.7 times as likely as morning chronotypes to retire early and receive a disability pension, according to research published online in the journal Occupational & Environmental Medicine.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}