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Neither early birds nor night owls are "better." Your natural sleep timing, called your chronotype, is largely built into your genes. Early birds tend to fit school and work schedules more easily, while night owls often perform well on thinking tests but can struggle with early alarms. The real winner is whoever gets 7 to 9 hours of good sleep on a consistent schedule.
"The early bird gets the worm." You have probably heard it from a parent, a teacher or a boss who really wanted you in by 8 a.m. But is it true? Does the early bird really win? And what about the night owl, happily snacking on worms at midnight? Let's settle the great bird debate once and for all.
Key takeaways
- Your chronotype is your body's natural preference for when to sleep and wake, and genes play a big role.
- Most people are neither extreme. They fall somewhere in the middle.
- In a study of more than 26,000 adults, night owls and in-between types scored higher on cognitive tests than morning types.
- Night owls often run into "social jetlag" when early schedules clash with their body clock.
- Getting 7 to 9 hours of sleep matters more for your brain than which bird you are.
What is a chronotype?
Your chronotype is your body's natural tendency to feel alert or sleepy at certain times of day. It is controlled by your circadian rhythm, the internal 24-hour clock that tells you when to sleep, eat and wake up.
Chronotypes fall on a spectrum. Early birds (also called larks or morning types) sit at one end, night owls at the other, and most of us land somewhere in between. Your chronotype also shifts with age: kids tend to wake early, teens drift later, and many people become earlier risers again as they get older.
Quick quiz: are you an early bird or a night owl?
Pick the answer that sounds most like you, then count your A's and B's.
- It is Saturday with no plans. When do you wake up? A. Around the same time as a weekday. My body is my alarm clock. B. Late morning or later. The weekend is for sleeping in.
- When do you do your best thinking? A. First thing in the morning, coffee in hand. B. Late afternoon or evening, when everyone else is winding down.
- How many alarms does it take to get you up? A. One, if any. B. At least three, and the snooze button knows my name.
- A friend invites you to a 10 p.m. hangout. You: A. Politely decline. That is past my bedtime. B. Say yes. The night is young.
- How do you feel after lunch? A. My energy is fading fast. B. I am just getting warmed up.
Early bird vs night owl at a glance
| Early bird | Night owl | In-betweener | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Peak energy | Morning | Late afternoon and evening | Midday |
| Natural bedtime | Early | Late | Moderate |
| Waking up | Easy, even without an alarm | Hard, especially early | Manageable |
| Biggest strength | Fits typical school and work hours | Stays sharp late into the day | Adapts to most schedules |
| Biggest challenge | Afternoon and evening slumps | Early alarms and "social jetlag" | Few, as long as sleep is consistent |
Perks of each bird
Early bird perks
- Your body clock lines up with most school and work schedules.
- Quiet mornings are prime time for focus, workouts and breakfast.
- It is easier to keep a consistent bedtime routine.
Night owl perks
- You tend to stay alert longer into the evening while early birds fade.
- Some research links evening types with more creative, original thinking.
- Night owls scored higher on cognitive tests in a large UK study.
What does the science say?
genetic regions linked with being a morning person, found in a study of nearly 700,000 people
adults in a UK study where night owls and in-betweeners outscored morning types on cognitive tests
of sleep a night was linked with the best brain function, for every chronotype
Your chronotype is largely genetic
Whether you are a lark or an owl is not just a habit. A large genetic study found hundreds of gene regions linked with being a morning person, many of them tied to the body's internal clock. So if you have tried for years to become a 5 a.m. person and failed, go easy on yourself.
Night owls may have a brainpower edge
In a 2024 Imperial College London study of more than 26,000 UK adults, people who were naturally more active in the evening, along with in-between types, performed better on tests of reasoning, memory and reaction time than morning types. The researchers stressed that this is an overall trend, not a rule, and that getting 7 to 9 hours of sleep mattered for everyone.
But early birds often win on grades
A study of about 1,000 teens found that night owls scored higher on inductive reasoning, a skill linked to general intelligence, yet earned lower grades than early birds. One likely reason: early school start times ask night owls to perform at their least alert hour.
The night owl's real enemy: social jetlag
When your body wants to sleep until 9 a.m. but your alarm goes off at 6, you build up sleep debt all week and catch up on weekends. This mismatch, called social jetlag, is the biggest downside of being a night owl, and research has linked it with poorer sleep and health over time. The fix is not to fight your chronotype, but to protect your sleep.
Can you change your chronotype?
You cannot rewrite your genes, but you can nudge your body clock by an hour or so. Here is how night owls can shift a little earlier:
- Get bright light first thingMorning sunlight is the strongest signal for your body clock. Step outside within an hour of waking.
- Dim the lights at nightLower the lights and put screens away an hour before bed so your body can start producing melatonin.
- Move bedtime in small stepsShift your bedtime and wake time 15 minutes earlier every few days instead of all at once.
- Keep weekends consistentTry to wake within an hour of your weekday time to avoid resetting your progress.
- Time caffeine and meals wiselySkip caffeine after early afternoon and avoid big, late dinners.
Sleep tips for every bird
Whatever time you hit the pillow, a great sleep setup helps you make the most of the hours you get.
For early birds
Wake up ready to go on a mattress built for alignment, like the ChiroPro Tri-Zoned Hybrid, developed with the International Chiropractors Association.
For night owls
It is right there in the name. The Midnight Hybrid and cooling Midnight ICE Hybrid help you fall asleep fast when bedtime finally comes.
For everyone
Cozy up with the Soft Washed Down Alternative Comforter and a pillow matched to your sleep position. Our pillow guide can help.
Frequently asked questions
Is it better to be an early bird or a night owl?
Neither is better. Early birds fit typical schedules more easily, and night owls often do well on cognitive tests. What matters most is getting 7 to 9 hours of quality sleep on a consistent schedule.
What is a chronotype?
A chronotype is your body's natural preference for when to sleep and wake. It is set by your circadian rhythm and strongly influenced by your genes and age.
Can a night owl become an early bird?
You can shift your sleep timing by about an hour with morning light, dim evenings and gradual bedtime changes, but most people cannot completely change their chronotype.
Are night owls smarter than early birds?
A 2024 UK study of more than 26,000 adults found night owls and in-between types scored higher on cognitive tests on average. That is a trend across a group, not a rule for every person.
What is social jetlag?
Social jetlag is the mismatch between your body clock and your schedule, such as waking early for work during the week and sleeping in on weekends. It is most common in night owls.
Does your chronotype change with age?
Yes. Children tend to be early risers, teens and young adults shift later, and many people become morning types again as they age.
Sleep well, whatever your bird
We will never tell you when to sleep, but we can help you sleep better. Try MLILY mattresses, pillows and bedding at more than 1,500 retail locations nationwide.
Sources: West R, Ma D et al., "Sleep duration, chronotype, health and lifestyle factors affect cognition: a UK Biobank cross-sectional study," BMJ Public Health, 2024; Jones SE et al., "Genome-wide association analyses of chronotype in 697,828 individuals," Nature Communications, 2019; Díaz-Morales JF and Escribano C, chronotype, cognitive ability and academic performance in adolescents, 2013. This article is general information and is not medical advice.
