Late nights: Bad for health? BBC News Review

Summary

This BBC Learning English News Review explores the health implications of being a 'night owl' versus an 'early bird'. New research suggests that night owls are more prone to chronic conditions like heart disease and diabetes, possibly due to their body's difficulty in burning fat for energy. The segment also covers vocabulary such as 'chronic' to describe long-lasting conditions and 'prone to' to indicate a higher likelihood of negative outcomes. The discussion encourages viewers to reflect on their sleep patterns and consider the potential health benefits of adopting a more morning-oriented lifestyle.

Takeaways

• 🌙 Staying up late, or being a 'night owl', is a lifestyle choice for some but may have negative health impacts.
• 🔍 New research indicates that 'night owls' are more likely to develop chronic conditions such as heart disease and diabetes.
• 🌞 People who rise early, known as 'early birds' or 'morning persons', burn fat more efficiently for energy.
• 📰 The BBC Learning English News Review discusses the health implications of sleep patterns and related vocabulary.
• 📈 The term 'chronic' describes long-lasting conditions or situations, such as chronic pain or chronic unemployment.
• 🚫 The word 'prone to' suggests a higher likelihood of experiencing negative outcomes, like disease or injury.
• 🦉 'Night owl' is a metaphorical term for people who are active late into the night, inspired by nocturnal owls.
• 🐦 The idiom 'early bird catches the worm' is used to describe people who rise early and are often more productive.
• 🏥 The medical term 'acute' is the opposite of 'chronic', referring to short-term and less severe conditions.
• 📝 The pronunciation of 'chronic' is distinct, starting with a 'k' sound rather than the typical 'ch' sound for 'c-h'.

Q & A

What is the main topic of the BBC Learning English News Review discussed in the transcript?

The main topic discussed is the potential health risks associated with being a 'night owl', including a higher likelihood of developing heart disease and diabetes.

What does the term 'night owl' refer to in the context of the transcript?

In the context of the transcript, 'night owl' refers to people who prefer to stay up late into the night and are mentally or physically active during nighttime hours.

According to the transcript, why might 'night owls' be more prone to health issues?

The transcript suggests that 'night owls' might be more prone to health issues because they may not burn fat for energy as easily as early risers, which could lead to a higher risk of developing chronic diseases like heart disease and diabetes.

What is the significance of the term 'chronic' as used in the transcript?

In the transcript, 'chronic' is used to describe illnesses or conditions that are long-lasting and do not go away, such as chronic pain or chronic diseases.

How is the term 'prone to' used in the context of the news review?

In the context of the news review, 'prone to' is used to indicate that a person is likely to be affected by something negative, such as developing a disease or exhibiting certain negative behaviors.

What advice does the transcript give regarding the preference for staying up late?

The transcript suggests that while some people naturally prefer to stay up late, it may not be a good idea due to the potential health risks associated with being a 'night owl'.

What is the opposite of a 'night owl' as mentioned in the transcript?

The opposite of a 'night owl' is referred to as an 'early bird', 'early riser', or 'morning person', which describes someone who likes to get up early.

What is the meaning of the phrase 'the early bird catches the worm' as it relates to the transcript?

The phrase 'the early bird catches the worm' is used in the transcript to describe the advantage or benefit that comes with waking up early, similar to how an early-rising bird catches worms before others.

How does the transcript differentiate between 'acute' and 'chronic' in a medical context?

In a medical context, the transcript differentiates 'acute' as a term for conditions that are severe but short-lived, while 'chronic' refers to long-lasting conditions that do not improve quickly.

What additional meanings or uses of the word 'chronic' are mentioned in the transcript?

The transcript mentions that 'chronic' can also describe long-lasting and bad situations, such as chronic unemployment or a chronic shortage of resources, and in slang, it can simply mean 'bad'.

What is the importance of the pronunciation of the word 'chronic' as highlighted in the transcript?

The transcript highlights the importance of the pronunciation of 'chronic' by pointing out that it is pronounced with a 'k' sound instead of the typical 'ch' sound, which is less common with the 'ch' spelling.

Outlines

00:00

🌙 Understanding 'Night Owls' and Health Risks

This segment of the BBC Learning English News Review discusses the potential health risks associated with being a 'night owl,' or someone who prefers staying up late into the night. The hosts, Neil and Sian, introduce the topic by highlighting new research from the US that suggests night owls may have a higher likelihood of developing heart disease and diabetes. The discussion explains that early risers, or 'morning people,' burn fat more efficiently, which could contribute to the health differences observed. The vocabulary words 'night owl,' 'chronic,' and 'prone to' are introduced and defined within the context of the news story. Neil and Sian also touch upon the expressions 'early bird' and 'morning person' to contrast with 'night owl.' The segment encourages viewers to watch to the end to learn more vocabulary and to engage with the content through subscription, liking the video, and attempting the quiz on the BBC Learning English website.

05:04

🕊️ The Impact of Being a 'Night Owl' on Chronic Conditions

In this part of the BBC Learning English News Review, the focus is on how the tendency to stay up late, or being a 'night owl,' can make individuals more 'prone to' developing chronic conditions. The term 'chronic' is explored to describe illnesses or situations that are long-lasting and do not easily resolve, such as chronic pain or chronic unemployment. The hosts use examples to illustrate the use of 'prone to,' explaining that it indicates a likelihood of experiencing something negative, such as smokers being prone to lung disease. The conversation also clarifies the correct usage of 'prone to' and distinguishes it from other expressions like 'accident prone.' The segment wraps up with a reminder about the availability of a quiz on the BBC Learning English website for further engagement and a farewell from the hosts.

Keywords

💡night owl

A 'night owl' refers to a person who prefers to stay up late into the night and is active during the late hours. This term is often used to describe someone's sleep pattern or lifestyle habits. In the context of the video, being a 'night owl' is associated with potential health risks such as a higher likelihood of developing heart disease and diabetes, as the research mentioned suggests that those who stay up late might not burn fat as efficiently as early risers.

💡early bird

The term 'early bird' is used to describe someone who likes to wake up early in the morning. It is derived from the saying 'the early bird catches the worm,' implying that those who rise early have an advantage. In the video, 'early bird' is juxtaposed with 'night owl' to highlight the potential health benefits of being an early riser, such as burning fat more easily.

💡chronic

The word 'chronic' is used to describe a condition or disease that is long-lasting and does not go away. In the video, it is mentioned that 'night owls' are more prone to developing chronic diseases like heart disease and diabetes. The term is also extended to describe long-lasting negative situations, such as chronic unemployment or a chronic shortage of resources.

💡prone to

The expression 'prone to' indicates a likelihood or tendency to be affected by something, often something negative. In the script, it is used to describe how 'night owls' are more likely to develop certain diseases, as in 'night owls are prone to developing heart disease and diabetes.' The term is also used to describe personality traits or behaviors that someone might be more likely to exhibit.

💡acute

Although not directly used in the script, 'acute' is the opposite of 'chronic' and is mentioned in the context of describing the duration and severity of an illness or condition. An 'acute' condition is one that is severe but short-lived, in contrast to a 'chronic' condition which is long-lasting.

💡fat burning

Fat burning refers to the process by which the body uses stored fat as an energy source. In the video, it is suggested that people who wake up early, or 'early birds,' burn fat more efficiently, which may contribute to their lower risk of certain health conditions compared to 'night owls.'

💡sleep pattern

A sleep pattern is the regularity and timing of when an individual sleeps and wakes. The video discusses the importance of sleep patterns, particularly contrasting 'night owls' who stay up late with 'early birds' who rise early, and how these patterns can impact health.

💡health risk

A 'health risk' is a factor or behavior that increases the likelihood of developing a health problem. The video highlights that staying up late, or being a 'night owl,' can be a health risk because it may lead to a higher chance of developing heart disease and diabetes.

💡diabetes

Diabetes is a chronic condition in which the body either does not produce enough insulin or cannot use it effectively, leading to high blood sugar levels. The video script mentions that 'night owls' may be more prone to developing diabetes, linking late-night habits to health outcomes.

💡heart disease

Heart disease refers to various conditions that affect the heart, including coronary artery disease, heart failure, and irregular heartbeats. The script indicates that 'night owls' are at a higher risk of developing heart disease, suggesting a correlation between late-night living and cardiovascular health.

💡vocabulary

Vocabulary in this context refers to the words and phrases that are essential for understanding the content of the video. The video aims to teach viewers specific words like 'night owl,' 'chronic,' and 'prone to,' which are crucial for grasping the discussion on sleep patterns and health.

Highlights

Introduction to the topic of whether late nights or early mornings are healthier.

Research from the US suggests that staying up late may increase the risk of heart disease and diabetes.

Explanation of the term 'night owl,' referring to people who stay up late and are active during the night.

The opposite of a 'night owl' is an 'early bird,' someone who prefers to wake up early.

Definition and explanation of 'chronic' in the context of long-lasting illnesses.

Example of using 'chronic' to describe non-medical situations, like chronic unemployment.

Discussion of the slang use of 'chronic' to mean something is very bad.

Pronunciation tip for 'chronic,' explaining that the 'ch' is pronounced as 'k.'

Explanation of the expression 'prone to' and its use to describe likelihood of experiencing something negative.

Examples of 'prone to' in sentences, such as 'smokers are prone to lung disease.'

Description of how 'prone to' can describe personality traits, like being prone to lying.

Clarification that 'prone' cannot be freely combined with any word to form an adjective.

Summary of key vocabulary: 'night owl,' 'chronic,' and 'prone to.'

Encouragement to visit the BBC Learning English website for a quiz related to the topic.

Closing statements and reminders to engage with the content through subscriptions and likes.

Transcripts

Do you prefer late night or early mornings.

One of those choices could be bad for your health.

This is News Review from BBC

Learning English. I'm Neil...

And I'm Sian. Make sure you watch to the end to learn vocabulary, about today's story.

And don't forget to subscribe to our channel,

'like' this video and try the quiz on our website.

Now, our story.

Staying up late into the night. For some people,

it's just the way they prefer to live.

But it may be affecting their health.

New research from the US found

that night owls may be more likely to develop heart disease and diabetes.

It's because people who get up early, burn fat for energy more easily.

You have been looking at the headlines,

Sian, what's the vocabulary?

We have 'night owl', 'chronic' and 'prone to'.

This is News Review from BBC Learning English.

Let's have a look at our first headline.

OK, this one is from Sky News.

So, the headline asks what kind of sleep pattern you have?

Do you prefer to stay up late?

Or, do you like getting up early? And there are two expressions in there

for those two situations.

What are they?

OK, so the one we're going to look at is 'night owl'. What can you tell me about owls, Neil?

Well, owls are a type of bird and they stay up late.

They stay up all night and they are very active at night.

That's when they do their work, which is hunting in this case.

Exactly. And so we call people who stay up late 'night owls'.

It means they stay up late,

but also they are mentally or physically active at night.

What about the opposite Neil?

Well, we can also see in the headline the expression.

'early bird' which comes from the saying 'the early bird catches the worm'.

And it describes someone who likes to get up early.

There are other ways of saying that as well.

You can call someone 'an early riser' or 'a morning person'.

Which one are you, Sian?

I used to be a night owl and I think, naturally,

I'm a night owl, but I wanna be a morning person,

so I've made myself become one. How about you?

Well the same. I like staying up late, but it's never a good idea.

Let's have a look at that again.

Let's have our next headline.

This one is from CNN:

The headline is saying that night owls -

that's the expression

we just looked at - are at a higher risk

of developing chronic diseases. And that's the word

we're looking at - 'chronic'.

And if we use 'chronic' to describe an illness

It means it's long lasting,

so it doesn't go away. For example, if I hurt my back in an accident

and the pain lasts forever,

I can say I have chronic pain or a chronic backache.

Yeah, and in a medical sense the opposite of that is 'acute'.

So, if you hurt your back,

but you get better after a couple of weeks,

that is not chronic pain,

that is acute pain.

We use this word, though,

chronic, for more than just illnesses, don't we Sian?

That's right. We can use it to describe situations which are long lasting and bad.

So, for example, we can talk about chronic unemployment,

or we can say there is a chronic shortage of doctors.

Yeah, and as you said that is for bad situations and in fact,

in slang, you can use the word

'chronic' on its own

just to mean bad. So, for example,

did you see that new detective drama on TV?

It was chronic! Acting was terrible.

And one more thing to note about the pronunciation,

so the spelling and pronunciation, are a bit tricky.

Normally, when we see c-h

it's pronounced 'ch' like cheese.

But here it's 'k', so 'chronic'.

Let's take a look at that one more time.

Our next headline, please.

This one's from the Guardian.

So, in this headline

we see that word 'night owls' again,

and it's saying that people who stay up late,

are more likely to develop diseases and

we're looking at the expression 'prone to'.

That's right. So, if you're prone to something

it means you are likely to be affected by something bad.

So, for example.

smokers are prone to lung disease or professional footballers

are prone to leg injuries.

So, the structure is 'prone to' followed by something bad.

Yeah, and we also use this expression 'prone to' to describe

certain negative types of behaviour that people have in their personality.

So, for example, if someone doesn't tell the truth a lot,

We can say they are prone to lying.

Or someone that exaggerates a lot, can be prone to exaggeration.

And we have another phrase which is 'accident prone'.

So, if someone is accident prone then they tend to have a lot of accidents.

Yeah, but be careful,

you can't just create an adjective like that

by adding 'prone' at the end. Accident prone is a set expression.

We wouldn't say, 'lying prone'.

OK, let's have a look at that again.

We've had 'night owls', people who stay up late

and are active at night.

'Chronic' - it's bad

and it lasts a long time.

And 'prone to' - likely to be affected by something bad.

Don't forget there's a quiz on our website at bbclearningenglish.com

Thank you for joining us

and goodbye. Goodbye.