English Project December 18 2012 | Page 2

It is clear that some of us are so-called “night owls,” whereas others prefer the morning hours. Whether you are a night owl or not says a lot about you: how smart you are, your personality, among other things. Although these things can be inferred by observation, many scientific research concerning the activities and brain patterns of night owls and morning larks lately. There are many advantages and disadvantages that night owls have, including IQ levels, emotional stability, and strength.

There are many advantages to being a night owl. They tend to be smarter than morning larks. Also, unlike morning larks, their cognitive activity and their spinal activity both increase throughout the day, causing them to possess more physical strength. Staying up late has been suggested to be an evolutionary advancement in humans. Night-owlness in most seen in people in their late teens or early twenties, which is advantageous in that that is when they are in the higher and more difficult levels of education. On the downside, night owls are often less emotionally stable and reliable than their morning preferring peers, and tend to have a greater susceptibility to addictions and eating disorders.

Overall, night owls have only a slight advantage over morning larks, though the latter are generally more conscientious, determined, and cooperative. In our society, it is crucial to have both, so that balance can be achieved. We can also use it to increase productivity by arranging shifts. Are you a night owl, or a morning lark?