Night owls may be at higher risk for chronic disease, prior research has shown. A 2022 study found night owls were more sedentary, had lower aerobic fitness levels, and burned less fat at rest and while active than early birds.
Studies have shown that people with higher IQs are likely to deviate from familiar evolutionary traits, such as circadian rhythms. Night owls who opt to wake up in the later hours of the day and stay awake until the wee small hours of the morning may be exhibiting a form of evolution.
In 2018, a large study in the UK found that evening people had a 10 percent higher risk of dying than morning people over a 6.5-year period.
The tendency to be a night owl exists on a spectrum, with most people being typical, some people having a small or moderate tendency to be a night owl, and a few having an extreme tendency to be a night owl.
One study of U.S. Air Force recruits aimed to systematically explore the relationship between intelligence and sleep scheduling. After assessing the 420 participants, they discovered that night owls are more likely to have higher intelligence scores.
Night owls make up approximately 15% of the population and are most productive late into the evenings. Many are creative and more open to taking risks. While not always true, they may be more likely to: Be sleep-deprived.
Many adults with ADHD are self-described (and quite happy) “night owls.” As stimuli and distractions dim, creativity and productivity shine while the rest of the world sleeps.
In fact, some studies suggest that night owls tend to possess three personality traits known as the “dark triad.” These traits are psychopathy (psychologically manipulative tendencies), Machiavellianism (a willingness to harm others in pursuit of a personal goal), and narcissism (a self-obsessed personality).
Other well-known night owls include Winston Churchill, Fran Lebowitz, Bob Dylan, Carl Jung, J.R.R. Tolkien, John Travolta, Prince, Christina Aguilera, and, believe it or not, Barack Obama. Some research even suggests that those who stay up late and sleep in regularly are smarter than those who don't.
But, being a night owl may also just be in your genes. "A recent study has actually shown that a genetic change in a gene called CRY1 is common among people who have a condition called delayed sleep phase disorder, or DSPD," explains Dr. Ayish.
“Although morning types may achieve more academically, night owls tend to perform better on measures of memory, processing speed, and cognitive ability, even when they have to perform those tasks in the morning,” notes the BBC. “Night-time people are also more open to new experiences and seek them out more.”
“Evening-oriented individuals show greater difficulties in self-regulation, together with a reduced ability to process and regulate negative emotions,” according to the study.
According to researchers, while a third of the population doesn't have a strongly defined chronotype, 30 percent are ascribed night owls.
Logicians (INTP) (85%), the personality type most likely to agree that they are night owls, tend to take the image of focused dreaminess to the extreme – that is, they get so caught up in their thoughts and ideas that schedules and day-to-day details, like remembering to go to bed, frequently fall by the wayside.
Night owls were also found to have less subjective well being, meaning they're less happy overall. While these findings might trouble late nighters, Lane said that simply being a night owl doesn't mean a person will experience depression, schizophrenia or unhappiness.
Psychology Today reported that intelligent people are likely to be nocturnal beings, with those with a higher IQ going bed later on both weeknights and weekends.
Night Owl Life May be the Most Productive for Introverts
This mentality has led to many setting their alarm clocks a few hours earlier than needed, so they have time to complete some tasks before the day actually starts. In some instances, this is a great way to start the day feeling productive.
Being a night owl and suffering from insomnia are two completely different conditions. For night owls, their circadian rhythm is adjusted differently, but they are able to sleep. Those with insomnia may go long periods sleeping very little or without sleeping at all, and their daily routine may suffer accordingly.
Psychologists have used the MEQ as a way to figure out whether people are night owls or early birds. One study found that the MEQ might be related to extroversion, another found that evening types are more likely to be stressed out.
Your energy levels, daily schedule, and inclination to defy the norm can all be predicted by astrology. Due to their tendency to operate on a whole separate level, people born with placements in Aries, Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius, or Pisces are considerably more likely to be night owls.
Is it better to be an early bird or a night owl? As long as you're getting the 7–9 hours of high quality sleep recommended by the National Sleep Foundation each night, it doesn't really matter what time you choose to wake up and go to sleep.
True night owls struggle with fatigue in the morning even after a full night's sleep, and for some this feeling of tiredness can continue well into the day. If you consistently feel groggy and fatigued during the daytime no matter how well you've slept, you're probably a night owl.
Autistic people are more likely to sleep for shorter periods of time and experience lower-quality sleep, and they're more likely to be night owls, the study found.
Night owls have special strength
The study found that the strength of morning people remained stable throughout the day, while night owls showed a burst of strength in the evening, the result of increased motor cortex and spinal cord excitability working together in the evening hours.
Humans are both nocturnal and diurnal but it is purely based on genetics. If the family is known to stay up passed midnight before going to bed, this family is genetically nocturnal forced into a diurnal work habit.