Those who go to bed and wake up late are often unfairly treated. In this article, we tell you how this trend affects their lives and how to adapt to a daytime schedule to fit into the rhythms of society and how night owls can be seen as misfits.
Being a night owl isn’t a choice
Several investigations have shown that the chronotype is, to a large extent, genetically determined
- Thus, these people are born with a predisposition to manifest this nocturnal tendency
- Ultimately, it’s not a voluntary choice but a biological determination
They obtain better scores in intelligence tests
In tests that measure general intelligence (the so-called G factor), night owls obtain higher scores than their morning counterparts
- However, despite this advantage in intelligence, nocturnal people tend to achieve worse academic and work performances
- The reason for this is that they’re forced to perform in their less functional hours
Night owls are more creative
Use lateral thinking more than morning people
The fact that the chronotype varies from person to person may have been an evolutionary advantage in ancient times
However, currently, society follows a marked daytime rhythm, so night owls can’t adapt, hence they suffer serious consequences
- Delayed sleep phase syndrome
- This means they need to fall asleep and get up several hours later than is desirable in accordance with social conventions
They’re more likely to get sick
Night owls are more prone to diabetes, obesity, stress, psychological and neurological disorders, and death earlier than early risers
- These findings are generalities and do not determine the qualities or performance of all people
- Individual differences exist
- It all depends on individual circumstances at both the genetic and environmental level
They can stay mentally alert for longer
Night owls have a greater ability to remain alert and mentally agile than early risers
