Night Owls Could Be Twice As Likely to Underperform At Work: Learn How to Become a Morning Person

Night owls are twice as likely as morning larks to underperform at work, a recent study shows. Researchers claim it is necessary to follow a healthier lifestyle, get as much sleep and regular shifts that suit their 'chronotype.'

Winter Blues Beckon As Daylight Hours Foreshorten

(Photo : Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)
GLASGOW, UNITED KINGDOM - OCTOBER 10: A city office employee works into the night as darkness closes in on October 10, 2005 in Glasgow, Scotland. Seasonal affective disorder (SAD), or winter depression, is a mood disorder related to the change in the seasons and the resulting reduction of exposure to daylight. The end of British Summer time, when clocks go back one hour at the end of October, will see most people making their daily commute in darkness both ways. With winter nights stretching to 19 hours in the UK, and Scotland's often inclement weather, it is estimated that the "Winter Blues" can affect up to 20% of the population.

Morning chronotypes, often referred to as larks, appear to do well early in the morning. Night chronotypes, referred to as night owls, tend to do well in the evening.

Experts say your chronotype is mostly inherited, but it can also be affected by environmental factors like daylight exposure, work schedules, and family life.

Chronotype is the choice for sleep schedule and other tasks during the time of day. It represents variations in the inherent circadian rhythm of an organism. In sleep cycles, this internal mechanism plays a part and affects hormones, metabolism and body temperature.

Owls vs. Larks: Only Less Than One Percent Of The Global Population Are Night People

Robert Carter, the author of The Morning Mind, claims that less than one percent of the population is currently genetically engineered to be night owls.

According to The Fast Company, Carter argues that those who consider themselves night owls are more likely to suffer from sleep loss or sleep limitation. This, he suggests, contributes to a decline in cognitive efficiency, emotional control, and productivity.

Fortunately, a new study published online in the journal Occupational & Environmental Medicine may support Carter's claim.

Night Owls vs. Larks: What Makes Morning People More Productive?

Researchers drew on details from the Northern Finland Birth Cohort survey, a continuing general population-based study that originally consisted of 12,058 children born in 1966 in northern Finland.

According to CNN, the researchers noticed that ten percent of men and 12 percent of women were "evening types," 72 percent of whom served in daytime occupations.

The majority of the individuals mainly divided equally into early risers, or what the scientists considered intermediate chronotypes.

In both genders, the owls' chances of underperformance were twice as large as they were among the larks, even after taking into consideration potentially important influences, such as sleep length and working hours.

Owls more commonly recorded short sleep period, insomnia, and high social jet lag levels. It was much more probable that they were single and out of employment.

The research further indicates that regardless of disability, night owls face an elevated chance of early retirement. The analysis is retrospective, and as such, no trigger can be identified. The results are nevertheless in line with other research, the authors stated.

The researchers concluded that the promotion of job success should take chronotypes into account. This cover both individual-level health promotion and the preparation of job plans at the corporate level.

Night Owls Vs. Larks: How to Fix This Result?

With all of us who have to be in the workplace by 9 a.m. Here are three aspects in which you will become more of a morning person, ready to take on the day, per Fast Company.

Prepare your sleep environment.

Having enough sleep begins with planning the atmosphere for your sleep and your body for rest. Get the space as quiet as practicable, then switch off the mobile phones and alarm clocks with a blue light. Practice yoga of mindfulness and slow, calming breathing. Experts saw that slow breathing places the nervous system in a role to facilitate sleep better," Carter claims.

Plan it out.

To improve your productivity, Carter says planning will play a critical role. He suggests scheduling the day in your head, from what you're going to wear to what you're going to do for breakfast. Having yourself prepared in the morning can help decrease the effect of less than enough sleep on results. In the morning, being in a rush creates a feeling of urgency that can push the efficiency down," says Carter."

Stop hitting the snooze.

Although you might think that by allowing yourself an additional 10 or 15 minutes of sleep you are doing yourself a favor, hitting the snooze would just help to raise your anger and minimize the relaxed state required to be effective.