Are You an Early Bird or a Night Owl?
Does the early bird always get the worm? Are there real biological differences between early risers and night owls? Ask Science explains.
Hi I’m Dr. Sabrina Stierwalt, the Ask Science, bringing you Quick and Dirty Tips to help you make sense of science.
As an astrophysicist, I am happiest when I am at a telescope observing distant galaxies. My happiness is not just because I’m gathering data to further my research, but also because my body and mind feel their best at night. But that’s not the case for everyone. I know plenty of folks who functon best in the early morning.
Do we learn our sleep patterns or are they hard-wired in us from the start? Are there real biological differences between early risers and night owls? Let’s find out.
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Are Night Owls Born or Raised?
Scientists have long believed that our preferred sleep patterns (called our “chronotypes”) are genetically determined at birth. After all, it makes evolutionary sense for people to have varied sleep schedules. Someone needs to guard the cave at night!
I can also tell you from firsthand night owl experience that living with an early riser has made caring for our infant much easier. There is never a question of who should get up with her in the middle of the night versus the early morning. (Dibs on the night!)
Our preferences for early riser versus night owl behavior are encoded in genes called “clock” or “period” genes that regulate our circadian rhythms and are thus linked to our blood pressure, metabolism, body temperature, and hormone levels. Studies have shown links between the length of certain period genes and people’s chronotypes, as well as the amount of sleep they need per night.
Environmental cues like light and diet (called “zeitgebers”) can work to alter our body’s sleep clock. Anyone who has taken an overnight flight knows the groggy feeling of jet lag upon landing. Your body feels like it’s 3am while the sunrise outside tells your brain something different. The glow of our tablets, smartphones, and televisions is enough to delay the body’s nightly release of melatonin, the brain’s message that it is time for sleep.
Are Early Risers More Successful?
You have probably heard that the early bird gets the worm, but given that we are born with our chronotypes coded in, are early risers really more successful?
The hard truth is that the vast majority of us have responsibilities that do not allow us to sleep according to our body’s preferred schedule. Most work days start between 7 and 9am, but for night owls, waking this early can feel similar to the jet lag you experience after that overnight flight. The feeling is so similar, in fact, that it has been called “social jetlag.” So if you’re an early riser, you tend to wake up without this social jetlag, which means you have a distinct advantage over night owls.
Our periods of alertness are linked to our bodies’ cortisol levels and cortisol peaks just after waking, most likely in anticipation of the day. However, early risers are already more alert in the morning than night owls, giving them an extra boost of potential for productivity. Feeling more alert and productive may be the reason early risers self-report as happier, healthier, more optimistic, and more proactive.
There are also links between being an early riser and getting better grades in school.
However, not all is lost for night owls……
The Benefits of Being a Night Owl
Though early risers get better grades, night owls tend to be more creative, and better risk-takers.
Early risers may be more alert in the morning, but their focus has less stamina. Sleep studies have shown that night owls show stronger focus and longer attention spans compared to early risers when both groups were tested 10 hours after waking.
And even though early risers get better grades, night owls tend to be more creative, and better risk-takers. Night owls are observed to have higher levels of cortisol, perhaps due to the body making up for the offset between the body’s natural rhythm and cues from the environment, which can lead them to take more risks offering the potential for higher reward. There is also evidence that night owls are more intelligent on average.
In a recent study published in the journal of Personality and Individual Differences, researchers observed over 700 people who showed a split in personality traits for night owls versus early risers. The morning lovers tended to be more persistent and resistant to frustration, and also showed lower levels of anxiety. The night owls were braver, but also more likely to develop addictive habits.
The true cause of these differences is still unclear. They may all be tied to the same genes that determine our circadian rhythms. They may instead be a result of this social jetlag leaving a permanent imprint on our personalities. Likely, the answer is a combination of both factors.
Are you a night owl or an early riser? How has this affected your life? Share your thoughts with us at Facebook qdteinstein or on Twitter where I’m @QDTeinstein.
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About the Author
Dr Sabrina Stierwalt earned a Ph.D. in Astronomy & Astrophysics from Cornell University and is now a Professor of Physics at Occidental College.
