You’ve probably heard the most successful people are those who get up as the birds start to sing. Apple CEO Tim Cook starts his day at 3:45am, and Richard Branson rises at 5:45am. But, what if you consider yourself a night owl? Should you force yourself to change?
Approximately 50% of the population does not strongly prefer either mornings or evenings. Meanwhile, about 25% are natural early risers, and another 25% are night owls. It’s all driven by own internal clocks.
Research does reveal a difference between morning and evening types, often paralleling the left-brain versus right-brain distinction. Morning people tend to be more analytical, cooperative, persistent, self-directed, and agreeable. They often set higher goals, plan better for the future, and generally report a greater sense of well-being. In contrast, night owls exhibit traits such as higher creativity, openness to new experiences, and better performance on memory and cognitive tasks, even during the morning hours. Additionally, contrary to popular belief, night owls are found to be as healthy and wise as their early-rising counterparts and may even have a slight edge in wealth.
Despite these traits, night owls often face challenges in a society structured around early schedules. Oxford biologist Katharina Wulff says forcing individuals to operate outside their natural rhythms can have adverse effects. For night owls, early rising can disrupt melatonin production, leading to physiological issues like weight gain due to altered insulin and glucose sensitivity. These disruptions underscore the biological underpinnings of our chronotypes, which are partly inherited and tied to the circadian rhythm’s length.
It also changes as we age. Children generally wake early, peaking as night owls around age 20, and then gradually returning to earlier rising by age 50. This biological shift suggests that success is not merely a function of when one wakes up but rather how aligned one’s schedule is with their natural tendencies.
But society definitely has a bias. It overlooks the diversity of successful individuals’ routines and fails to acknowledge that correlation does not imply causation. The perceived benefits of early rising may stem from societal norms rather than intrinsic advantages. Morning people naturally align with typical work or school schedules, enhancing their productivity and mood. In contrast, night owls often struggle to perform optimally during early hours, potentially leading to lower life satisfaction and mood issues.
Therefore, the relationship between waking early and success is complex and individualized. Rather than striving to fit a one-size-fits-all model, recognizing and working within one’s natural chronotype may lead to better productivity and well-being. Success, it seems, is not solely about the hour one wakes but how well one’s schedule aligns with their inherent biological rhythms.
Dave Edwards Media 