Researchers have found that a simple tweak to the sleeping patterns and maximizing outdoor light during the mornings for a period of three weeks can help night owls -- people with extreme late sleeping and waking habits - bring forward their sleep/wake timings by two hours.
Such changes can also lead to improved performance in the mornings, better eating habits and a decrease in depression and stress among people with late sleeping habits, showed the findings.
The study, published in the journal Sleep Medicine, showed that it was possible to shift the circadian rhythm of 'night owls' using non-pharmacological and practical interventions.
"Having a late sleep pattern puts you at odds with the standard societal days, which can lead to a range of adverse outcomes - from daytime sleepiness to poorer mental well-being," said study co-author Andrew Bagshaw from the University of Birmingham in the UK.
The researchers wanted to see if simple things could solve this issue.
In an experiment with a small group of participants that spanned for three weeks, the group were asked to wake up two-three hours before regular wake up time and maximize outdoor light during the mornings.