Lin Studies Link Between Chronotype and Mortality in Older Adults
Apr. 13, 2026
Zhuozhi Lin recently published research looking at the "biological clock" (chronotype) of middle-aged and older adults to see if being a "night owl" vs. an "early bird" correlates with lifespan. Published in the Journal of Sleep Research, Lin, along with colleagues Matthew J. Reid, Darlynn M. Rojo-Wissar and Adam P. Spira, followed 2,261 participants and recorded 650 deaths during the study.
After adjusting for health factors like BMI, smoking, and existing diseases, the researchers found that among participants over 81 years age, those with a late chronotype had a 123% higher risk of death compared to those with an intermediate sleep schedule. Participants aged 50 to 65 years with a late chronotype had a 107% higher risk of death compared to intermediate types. However, the study did not find a statistically significant link between chronotype and mortality for participants aged 66 to 80.
Lin is a doctoral student in the COE's Counseling Psychology program. Lin, Reid and Davoudi share joint first authorship on the paper. Rojo-Wissar and Spira share joint senior authorship. To read the study, Chronotype and All-Cause Mortality in US Middle-Aged and Older Adults: Results From the NHANES, visit https://doi.org/10.1111/jsr.70328.
