That most Americans are falling short of the recommended eight hours of sleep per night is nothing new. Over time, staying awake in the night can come with a high cost. You should stop your night owl(夜猫子) habit.

Compared to people who turn in early, those who go to bed very late are more likely to suffer from repetitive negative thoughts, found one study published late last year. The findings suggest that sleep disruption(扰乱) could actually be linked to the development of negative thoughts. Psychologists suggest that focusing on good sleep habits can help.

Have you been getting into a lot of arguments lately? There’s one easy way to fix that. Too little sleep tends to leave people feeling bad-tempered and stressed. It means that little things that might not normally be a big deal can cause you to fly off the handle. The result is more misunderstandings with those around you. Being well rested, on the other hand, will help you control your temper and you’ll get along better with others.

According to AAA Foundation reports, people who sleep six to seven hours are twice as likely to have a car accident as those who sleep for eight hours or more when driving. People who sleep for five hours or less increase their risk up to fivefold. Go for 24 hours without sleeping, and your skills behind the wheel are the same as someone who is legally drunk.

Research suggests that the less sleep you get, the more likely you are to be overweight or obese. How so? When you lack sleep, you have less energy to exercise or make healthy food choices. Plus, studies show that the later you stay up, the more you eat. Night owls who stay up until 4 am eat about 550 more calories than early birds who go to sleep at 10:00 pm.