H8 mornings? That’s cool. But sleep in, and you may be missing out on more than just breakfast.
First, the good news: For those of us who don’t identify as “morning people,” science is letting us off the hook (at least a little). It turns out, our body clocks are in part determined by genetics.
So if there’s nothing more annoying to you than cheerful, chirpy birds hanging outside your window at 6 a.m., rest assured you’re not an animal-hating, swearing grump; you were just wired that way.
Now for the less-good news, night owls: Morning people are not only getting all the proverbial worm, but they’re likely reaping some health benefits, too. Some gals get all the luck. Behold:
1. A 2012 study shows that there is correlation between “morningness” (a.k.a. the least-scientific-sounding scientific word ever) and self-reported happiness. This was especially pronounced in older adults. This might be because work culture dictates that you accomplish things right out of the gate, so an ability to knock things out in the morning can negate stress.
2. On the flip side of that, a 2016 review of previous studies confirmed that among adolescents, night owls showed correlation with increased depression or depressive symptoms.
3. Early birds were linked to having lower BMIs after a study of 90,000 people was conducted by genetic-testing company 23andMe. Though to be fair, BMI as a measurement of health is on its way out, so do with that what you will.
4. Unsurprisingly, night owls suffer from insomnia at a significantly greater rate. The same study conducted by 23andMe found that 40% of night owls suffered from insomnia, compared with 20% of early risers.
5. Morning people are more proactive and therefore better positioned to succeed, according to the studies of biologist Christoph Randler, and this advantage can have a positive domino effect: Early risers get better grades, which gets them into better schools, which gets them better job opportunities. They also tend to anticipate problems and nip them in the bud.
Some silver lining for the late-night crew, though: Studies also indicate that they are smarter and more creative. You win some, you lose some.
And while it does appear that Team Early Risers is coming out on top, take heart, nightstalkers: There are myriad ways to train yourself to wake up earlier, and they’re relatively painless. And of course, when all else fails, you can always channel Nap Girl for inspo:
[h/t Business Insider]
