People, for whom being an early bird, usually do not experience any problems with their day plan unless their work demands staying up late from them. Unfortunately, it is not so simple for nigh owls since the majority of them still have to wake up early and start their day before the afternoon. For that reason, many night owls are trying to convert themselves into early birds. Let’s look at the positive sides of being an early bird which were officially approved by various studies.
Early birds are usually healthier than night owls are
Certainly, the claim that night owls are not as healthy as early birds are might seem to be overgeneralised, however, there are many factors connected with waking up early which affect our health condition.
First of all, early bird, if only they have such a chance, go to bed early. This means that even though they have to wake up early, they actually have a chance to get a better rest than night owls do. Such people can enjoy a sufficient night sleep which is actually more healthy than the one you can get during the day since we are biologically programmed to rest at night. As a result, the majority of early birds wake up early without major difficulties and often have more free time before going to work.
This causes even more health benefits. For instance, early birds are more likely to have breakfast before going out and they have more time for packing to work and planning their tasks, let alone, a greater amount of time for getting to work. As a result, their mornings are usually less stressed than the ones of night owls which is undeniably extremely crucial for one’s well being.
Finally, the day cycle of early birds is totally synchronised with the cycle of work in the places where the work day starts in the morning. Although night owls can still be more creative, intelligent and socially-oriented, but they might face difficulties with realising their whole potential at work if their day starts too early. Again, this means that early birds tend to be more relaxed at work and have more chances to avoid unnecessary stress.
Early birds are less prone to obesity
According to the Australian study that checked the lifestyle of 2200 young people there is a connection between being an early bird and staying lean. What are the possible reasons for that?
Firstly, since early birds do not stay up late, they are not so prone to eating at night unless their craving for food will be thus intense that it will awake them in the middle of the night. People, who remain active during the night can become hungry at late hours more easily and consume food right before going to bed or have meal reach in calories which is more suitable for consumption during the day time.
Secondly, early birds are more likely to be physically active. There are many factors influencing it, however, one of them might be the fact that there are more possibilities for spending time actively during the day, whereas doing sport at night needs even more self-discipline since it is usually done in total solitude. In addition to it, even the most active night owls still are not as active as early birds during the day since our bodies are creating melatonin needed for falling asleep at night and people who stay up at late hours can still feel the effect of this so-called hormone of sleep.
Waking up early helps you to avoid procrastination
Multiple studies have come to a conclusion that people who wake up early are more productive. Since they are more active in the first half of the day, they are more likely to finish their tasks earlier and are not prone to leaving them for later. This is usually not the case with night owls, who need some time upon wakening up in order to get a boost of energy and, thus, feel more productive later. For that reason, it is not so easy for them to start their day actively right after opening their eyes.
As a result, early birds also feel less stress in the evening since they have completed their tasks during the day.
General satisfaction from life
Although it is not easy to distinguish the real reasons why early birds tend to be more happier in life than night owls, but the research taken in different countries showed exactly this thing. What is even more interesting is that this trend is true for absolutely various geographical locations and communities, irrespective of the climate, culture or economics.
Is it possible to turn into a night owl?
Undeniably, the pick of our activity depends on our internal biological clock a lot, however, this is not the sole factor deciding whether we are night owls or early birds. Furthermore, the genetic predisposition to being categorised as one of them is only 50% which means that everyone can switch their activity either to the night time or to the day time.
What you really need is a strong discipline and keeping a track of the hours when you are going to bed. Still, there are some activities that can make the process even easier. For instance, going out is something that can change your feeling of being active a lot. Thus, going for a walk in the morning will teach your body to be more active in the early hours whereas late strolls will make you more active at night.