Night owls tend to be mentally sharper than morning people, according to a study.
Researchers discovered that adults who are more active in the evening rather than early in the morning generally performed better on various cognitive tests. A sleep expert emphasised that these findings support the idea that night owls should not be "shamed into fitting a stereotype that favours an ‘early to bed, early to rise’ practice."
The research team from Imperial College London analysed data from nearly 27,000 people aged 53 to 86 who participated in the UK Biobank project. They examined how different aspects of sleep—such as duration, timing, and quality—affected mental acuity and overall cognitive ability. Participants completed computer-based tests to measure intelligence, reasoning skills, reaction times, and memory at a time of their choosing.
The results showed that night owls tended to perform better than morning larks. Individuals with an “intermediate” chronotype, with no clear preference for mornings or evenings, scored in between the two groups.
Dr Jessica Chelekis, a sleep expert from Brunel University London who was not involved in the study, stated: “The main takeaway should be that the cultural belief that early risers are more productive than ‘night owls’ does not hold up to scientific scrutiny. While everyone should aim to get good quality sleep each night, we should also try to be aware of what time of day we are at our (cognitive) best and work in ways that suit us.”
The study also found that sleeping between seven and nine hours a night was optimal for mental sharpness, enhancing cognitive functions such as memory, reasoning, and processing speed. In contrast, sleeping fewer than seven hours or more than nine hours had a “clearly detrimental” effect on brain function.
Dr Raha West, from the Department of Surgery and Cancer at Imperial College London, who co-led the research noted, “It is important to note that this doesn’t mean all morning people have worse cognitive performance. The findings reflect an overall trend where the majority might lean towards better cognition in the evening types.”
