Why you shouldn’t try to be a morning person

Why you shouldn’t try to be a morning person

By Amanda(əmandə) Ruggeri

We’ve all heard it before: to be successful, get out of bed early. After all, Apple CEO Tim Cook gets up at 3:45am, Fiat(fiət) CEO Sergio(sərjio) Marchionne(mərkioni) at 3:30am and Richard(ˈriCHərd) Branson(ˈbransən) at 5:45am – and, as we know, “the early bird catches the worm(wərm).”

But just because some successful people wake up early, does that mean it’s a trait(trāt) most of them share? And if the idea of having exercised(ˈeksərˌsīz), planned your day, eaten breakfast(ˈbrekfəst), visualised(ˈviZH(ə)wəˌlīz) and done one task before 8am makes you want to roll over and hit snooze(sno͞oz) ’til next Saturday(-dē,ˈsatərˌdā), are you really doomed(do͞omd) to a less successful life?

For about half of us, this isn’t really an issue(ˈiSHo͞o). It’s estimated that some 50% of the population isn’t really morning or evening-oriented(ˈôrēˌənt), but somewhere in the middle.

Roughly(ˈrəflē) one in four of us, though, tend(tend) more toward bright(brīt)-eyed early risers(ˈrīzər), and another one in four are night owls(oul). For them, the effects can go beyond falling asleep in front of the TV at 10pm or being chronically(ˈkrɒnək(ə)li) late for work. Research shows that morning versus(-səz,ˈvərsəs) evening types show a classic(ˈklasik) left-brain(brān) versus right-brain division(diˈviZHən): more analytical(ˌanlˈitikəl) and cooperative(kōˈäp(ə)rətiv) versus more imaginative(iˈmaj(ə)nətiv) and individualistic(ˌindivijo͞oəˈlistik).

Numerous studies have found that morning people are more persistent(pərˈsistənt), self-directed and agreeable(əˈgrēəbəl). They set higher goals for themselves, plan for the future more and have a better sense of well-being. And compared to night owls, they’re less likely to be depressed(diˈprest), drink or smoke.

Although morning types may achieve more academically(ˌakəˈdemik), night owls tend to perform better on measures(ˈmeZHər) of memory, processing speed and cognitive(ˈkägnətiv) ability, even when they have to perform those tasks in the morning. Night-time people are also more open to new experiences(ikˈspi(ə)rēəns) and seek them out more. They may be more creative(krēˈātiv) (although not always). And contrary to the maxim(ˈmaksim) (‘healthy, wealthy and wise(wīz)’), one study showed that night owls are as healthy and wise as morning types – and a little bit wealthier(ˈwelTHē).

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http://www.bbc.com/capital/story/20171114-why-you-shouldnt-try-to-be-a-morning-person