Night owls versus early birds: who is superior according to science?

The eternal debate between night owls and early birds has long been a topic of interest, with proponents on both sides claiming superiority. But what does science say? According to researchers, our internal biological clock, or circadian rhythm, controls numerous physiological outputs, including alertness levels, sleep, hormone levels, and blood pressure.

Your "chronotype" is your circadian preference - whether you're a morning lark or night owl. The reality is that our chronotype naturally shifts as we age, with teenagers having a later chronotype and adults drifting earlier. But what about the claim that night owls are more intelligent and creative? While there's some evidence to suggest this, it's not without its limitations.

A 2007 study found evening-disposition was correlated with divergent thinking strategies - in other words, more creativity. However, a 2024 paper from Imperial College London found those who stay up late had "superior cognitive function" compared to morning larks. But experts caution against making definitive links between chronotype and traits like intelligence or sociability.

The truth is that our individual sleep patterns are influenced by a complex array of factors, including genetics, lifestyle, and environment. While you can't fundamentally change your chronotype, you can work in harmony with it. This means understanding which type you are - not always easy, as our habits and routines often mask our natural tendencies.

One way to determine your chronotype is through saliva tests measuring melatonin levels throughout the day. Or, simply try sleeping without an alarm for a week, avoiding depressants and stimulants, and let your body find its natural rhythm. If you're a night owl, but have to get up early, can you tweak your biological clock? It's possible to shift modestly, but only with structured routines such as morning light, fixed mealtimes, earlier exercise, and caffeine cutoff.

The key takeaway is that our chronotype plays a significant role in our daily lives - from work performance to mental health. Rather than trying to force a routine at odds with your biological clock, it's better to operate in tune with it. After all, as the saying goes, "the second mouse gets the cheese."

"Life begins at the end of your comfort zone." When people say night owls are more intelligent and creative, I think they're overlooking the fact that most of their work gets done in a burst of energy at 3am. It's not necessarily about being more productive, but being able to tap into that inner drive when the rest of the world is asleep.

OMG u no whats up w/ chronotypes?? i think its sooooo interesting how our internal clocks affect us! like, ive always ben a night owl myself & ppl always say im more creative cuz of it lol. but dont 4get, ther r exceptions & its not just about bein a "night owl" or an "early bird". its all bout findin ur own rhythm & workin w/ it i personally tried dat experiment where u just sleep w/o an alarm 4 a wk & it was SOOO liberatin!!! u get to see what ur body really wants & needs. like, dont @ me but i think thats the key 2 happiness - findin that sweet spot & goin w/ it

I'm not convinced that being a night owl is inherently tied to intelligence or creativity. I mean think about it, most geniuses and creatives are total morning people! Like Elon Musk, Stephen Spielberg - they're both early risers. And don't even get me started on the whole "night owls are more creative" thing, that study from 2007 was just cherry picked data. And have you seen the results of that Imperial College London paper? "Superior cognitive function"? That's some pretty wild claims if you ask me

i think its kinda cool that scientists are finally figuring out how our bodies work . i mean, we've always known our morning/night routines can affect our mood and energy levels, but to see it all quantified is pretty wild . personally, im a night owl myself and its super hard for me to get up early in the morning . but i also know how my body feels when i'm well-rested and alert – it's like i can conquer anything ! anyway, i do think its possible to adjust our sleep patterns to fit our needs better, even if we're naturally night owls . like, who says you have to get up at 5am just because society expects it?

I'm not convinced about the whole night owls being more intelligent thing ... I mean, have you seen the study from 2007? And what's with these saliva tests? Can't we just trust our own bodies to figure out when we're most alert and awake? I'd rather rely on some solid data and research before jumping to conclusions. Plus, isn't it easy to get a head start on your day by setting that alarm clock 15 minutes earlier each morning? It's not rocket science, folks! Just saying

I think its kinda cool how our bodies are all like, "hey, I'm a morning bird" or "night is my jam ", and both sides have their perks! Idk about those 'superior cognitive function' claims tho, but I do think it's awesome that we can still be ourselves and thrive even if our chronotype isn't exactly what others expect. I mean, I'm more of a night owl myself, so its nice to know that I can still adjust my schedule to get things done

I'm not sure about this whole chronotype thing . I mean, yeah, our bodies have an internal clock and all that jazz, but is it really true that night owls are more intelligent and creative? I've always been a night owl myself, but I don't think that means I'm inherently more clever or artistic than my morning lark friends .

And can we really just tweak our biological clocks by following some routine stuff like waking up early to exercise? I tried doing that once and it was a total disaster . Not to mention the whole "morning light" thing – doesn't that just sound like something from a sci-fi movie?

Anyway, I do think it's cool that researchers are studying this stuff and trying to figure out what really goes on in our brains and bodies. Maybe we'll learn more about how chronotypes work and how we can actually benefit from them (or not). The point is, our individual sleep patterns are way too complex for us to just stick to one routine or another – life's too messy like that .

Ugh, I'm so done with people thinking they can just be all night owls and get away with it... like, yeah sure, creativity is cool and all, but what about the mornings? Don't you think that's when the magic happens? I mean, have you ever tried to plan a party at 3 am? It's not all it's cracked up to be. And don't even get me started on trying to function as a morning lark... my coffee-fueled productivity is real though .

But seriously, people need to understand that our chronotype isn't the end-all-be-all of life. I mean, I'm a night owl at heart, but when I have to be up early for work, it's tough. But if you know your body and can adjust accordingly, that's totally doable... with some hard work and dedication, obvs .

It's funny how the study mentioned a 2007 paper from Imperial College London, though... does anyone really think we've learned more since then?

i think its pretty interesting that scientists are finally getting into this whole chronotype thing - its not just about being a morning person or a night owl, but our internal clocks actually affect how we live our lives. i mean, who hasn't felt like they're more alert in the evenings? and yeah, there is some evidence that night owls are more creative, but it's not a hard and fast rule by any means.

i also love the idea of working with your chronotype instead of trying to fight it. i mean, we've all been there where we try to stay up late, but our bodies are like "nah, its 2am, time for bed". anyway, using morning light and structured routines can definitely help shift things a bit. im just curious to know more about how individual factors like genetics and lifestyle influence our sleep patterns...

I think being a night owl or an early bird is more about finding that sweet spot where you can be productive and feel energized . Like, we've got this stereotype that morning larks are super focused and motivated, but what if it's the opposite? What if you're meant to be up at midnight working on that creative project or solving a tricky problem ? It's all about listening to your body and finding a rhythm that works for you . And hey, who needs an alarm clock anyway when you've got the sun shining in your room?

I think being aware of your chronotype can be super beneficial for productivity and overall well-being It's cool that scientists are studying this topic more, but let's be real, most of us don't have the luxury of just winging it and listening to our bodies naturally What about people who work non-traditional hours or have to adapt to different schedules? Can they still find ways to thrive? I've tried that 7-day sleep experiment thingy, and honestly, it was pretty challenging But I guess it's worth a shot if you wanna figure out your natural rhythm

OMG, I'm like 100% a night owl and I think being one is literally the key to creativity!!! Like, my best friends are all early birds but they're soooo boring compared to me . And can we talk about how some studies said that night owls have "superior cognitive function"?! Like, I'm already on coffee and gaming marathons and it works for me lol.

I tried the whole no alarm thing last year and it was literally life changing . Now I get to sleep in whenever and still be productive by mid-afternoon . And yeah, some people say that we can't change our chronotype but like, what even is a week without an alarm?! It's basically like giving your body permission to figure out its own rhythm.

I think the key takeaway is that you gotta listen to your body and find what works for you. And honestly, if being a night owl makes me more creative and productive (which it totally does), then I'm not gonna change . Can we just live in a world where sleep schedules are optional?!

idk why ppl think being a night owl is superior lol its actually pretty cool how our bodies are all different and stuff anyway i read this study on melatonin levels and it said u can actually train ur body to produce more of it at night by doing things like meditation or reading before bed but if u gotta wake up early its def hard to adjust u gotta try some morning light therapy or summin

idk about this whole chronotype thing ... people say night owls are more intelligent and creative but others say morning larks have superior cognitive function ... i think it's kinda complicated cuz everyone's body is different, like some ppl can stay up late and still be alert in the mornin' while others need 10 hours of sleep to feel decent ... and what about them studies that say our chronotype shifts as we age? ... anyway, i think it's all about findin' a routine that works for u and not tryin' to force urself into somethin' u don't wanna do ️