Fortunately, science is on your side if you’ve ever felt bad about staying up late and sleeping in. People who love to stay up late, known as night owls, may actually have more mental acuity than early risers, according to a recent study from Imperial College London.
More than 26,000 adults’ data were evaluated, and the researchers found that those who slept in the center of the day-night spectrum, go to bed late, and wake up later did better on tests of memory, IQ, and response time. Interestingly, the people who are up and going by 5 a.m., or early risers, placed lowest.
Sleep quality and duration are more important than when you sleep. According to experts, the best way to maintain a healthy brain is to get 7 to 9 hours of decent sleep each night. However, getting too little or too much sleep can actually make it harder to think clearly.
According to one of the researchers, Dr. Raha West, each person has a unique chronotype, or internal body clock. It might not be as beneficial to force yourself into a schedule that doesn’t fit your natural rhythm.
Before you push yourself to work at 5 a.m. in the name of “success,” think about this: your brain may function better if you pay attention to your body and give it the rest it requires—when it’s time for you.
If you’re a night owl or somewhere in the middle, don’t mess with your instincts. Early alarms lose out to good sleep.
Sleep smart, not early.
