Anorexia Nervosa Linked to Morning Chronotype and Insomnia, Study Finds

The research suggests a two-way genetic association between anorexia and early rising, with potential implications for future circadian-based therapies.

• New research suggests a link between anorexia nervosa and being a morning person, with individuals with the disorder more likely to wake up early.
• The study found a two-way association between genes associated with anorexia and genes associated with morning chronotype, waking early and going to bed early.
• Insomnia was also found to increase the risk of developing anorexia, but there was no converse risk or connection between anorexia and sleep duration, daytime napping or daytime sleeping.
• Previous research has suggested a possible connection between eating disorders and the body’s internal clock, or circadian clock, which controls a wide range of biological functions such as sleep.
• The clinical implications of the findings are currently unclear, but could direct future investigations into circadian-based therapies for anorexia nervosa prevention and treatment.

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