Drinking glasses on the terrace at midnight, dancing until the early hours of the morning, zapping the night of sleep … it’s a classic. But behind these effervescent evenings hides a real question of public health: what does this offbeat rhythm of life cause in the long term?
According to a study published in June 2024 in the journal Chronobiology International, people with a “late” chronotype (who go to bed and get up very late) present a higher risk of mortality of 21 %, all causes combined, compared to the-time lift.
Clearly, it is not the party that kills, but the disruption of the biological clock. Researchers mention in particular a chronic lack of sleep, metabolic disorders, a more unbalanced diet, and greater consumption of tobacco and alcohol in night owls. Factors well known to promote cardiovascular disease or type 2 diabetes.
Alcohol, accidents and at risk: a sometimes fatal cocktail
In France, 41,000 deaths per year are linked to alcohol, recalls Inserm. And in young adults, this figure is often correlated with road accidents, violent behavior or acute poisoning.
The party is therefore not the problem. It is the repeated excesses and the risk -taking that become dangerous.
- Each year, more than 30 % of deaths among 15-24 year olds are due to external causes (accidents, suicides, overdoses) according to an INSEE study carried out in 2022.
- About 1,000 deaths a year among young people are said to be linked directly to alcohol or drugs according to Public Health France.
- 1 driver of 18-24 years out of 5 involved in a fatal accident would have consumed alcohol according to ONISR (National Interministerial Observatory for Road Safety).
The “social jetlag”: when the body no longer follows
Experts call it the “social jetlag”: to live at night, to work during the day, and to deregulate your internal clock permanently. This phenomenon would particularly affect young workers and students. Result: chronic fatigue, mood disorders, weight gain, hypertension, even depression.
According to the National Institute of Sleep and Vigilance (INSV), 1 young adult out of 3 sleeps less than 6 hours per night, well below the 7 to 9 hours recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO). However, the lack of repeated sleep is a proven risk factor of premature mortality, in the same way as tobacco or sedentary lifestyle.
Should we stop partying?
No. The party does not kill. The problem is what we do there and what we don’t do afterwards. Do not sleep for 48 hours, take the car after drinking, consuming drugs, never recovering … It is this lasting imbalance that tires the heart, distinguishes hormones and weighs on mental health.
What specialists recommend:
- Sleep at least 7 hours a night, even the celebration tomorrow.
- Limit alcohol consumption to 2 glasses per maximum day, not every day according to the public health recommendations France.
- Avoid risky pipes (car, scooter, violent behavior).
- Do not trivialize social burn-out or post-school anxiety disorders.
So, no young revelers are not condemned to die young people. But this way of life greatly accelerates their metabolism and in particular the fact of sleeping little. Sleep is also recognized by INSERM as a major public health factor, in the same way as food or physical activity. In short, with all these excesses, the organization is not really at the party!
NAMELY
The “Birthday Effect” shows that accidental deaths (accidents, suicides, poisoning) increase the day of its birthday, often due to festive excess.
Register for our newsletter
My health
