Are you a night owl? Do you find yourself more active and alert in the evening than in the morning? Well, according to a new study published in the journal BMJ Public Health, being a night owl may actually give you a cognitive advantage over morning people.
The study found that individuals who are naturally more active and alert in the evening tend to perform better on cognitive tests compared to those who are more lively in the morning. In fact, night owls scored approximately 13.5% higher than morning larks in one group and 7.5% higher in another group. Even intermediate sleepers, who have a mild preference for either day or night, scored about 10-6% higher than morning types.
MORE: A recent study has also shown that following a Mediterranean diet and consuming omega-3 fatty acids can help reduce acne, offering yet another benefit to night owls.
Dr. Raha West, from the department of surgery and cancer at Imperial College London where the study was conducted, noted that while not all morning people have worse cognitive performance, the overall trend leans towards better cognition in evening types. She mentioned that it is possible to shift your natural sleep habits by gradually adjusting your bedtime, increasing evening light exposure, and maintaining a consistent sleep schedule, but completely changing from a morning person to an evening person is a complex process.
The researchers also discovered that sleeping seven to nine hours per night was optimal for brain function. Those who slept less than seven hours or more than nine hours experienced detrimental cognitive effects.
The study, which analyzed data from approximately 27,000 individuals, emphasized the importance of self-reported sleep duration, patterns, and quality. Ultimately, younger individuals, those without chronic conditions, and people with healthier lifestyle choices tended to exhibit better cognitive performance.