Well, hey there cutie!
If you follow me on Instagram (@melbroms or @bubblythoughtspodcast) then you saw that I posted an Instastory asking if you feel you are more of a morning person or a night person.
I function so much better when I wake up early. During the majority of my week, my alarm is set for 4 a.m. which sounds crazy but I swear it is so helpful. I get so much done including usually a good workout when a majority of the world is asleep. And I have been doing it for so long now that it really doesn't even feel that difficult to do anymore (most of the time).
POP
So the results were such a mixed bag when I asked. But the most interesting thing was that more than 50% of you responded to the poll saying you are neither a night owl nor early bird! And there is a delightful lark name for people who are neither, but I will get to that later.
First I will start with the basics. I did the research and I found some interesting info regarding the pros of being an early bird and the pros of being a night owl so let's dive in.
Fizz...
* all the information I found was from a website known as inc.com, an American weekly magazine which publishes about small businesses and startups; the only major brand dedicated exclusively to owners and managers of growing private companies, with the aim to deliver real solutions for today's innovative company builders, CBSNews.com and Bustle.com*
Night Owl Pros
"Research has found that night owls excel when it comes to creativity and problem-solving.
In addition, night owls are also more likely to stay mentally sharp for a longer amount of time after first waking up, which leads to increased productivity and efficiency.
Also....
- Night owls get far more done at night than at any other time of my day, obviously.
- Night owls can and do say yes to a nighttime social life because they know that once they return home, they will still have several hours of productive time left before needing some sleep.
- Night owls are more likely to be stronger. Studies prove that night owls show an increase in motor cortex and spinal cord excitability in the late evening hours.
- Night owls are more likely to be creative: Researchers have noted a spike in creativity among night owls, noting that they are much more likely to come up with outside-the-box solutions than their early bird counterparts.
- According to British researchers, early risers typically have higher levels of the stress hormone cortisol, and these high levels stick around all day. This is not the case for night owls. They don't receive that same level of early morning cortisol injection and stay relatively calm all day.
- Researcher Satoshi Kanazawa found that highly intelligent children tend to become nocturnal adults who prefer to stay up late at night and sleep-in seven days a week. Yet another study at the University of Madrid found that night owls tested higher in general intelligence and even earned higher incomes than early birds.
- And lastly, night owls find it far easier to wake early and be productive compared to early risers, who often find it extremely difficult to pass their usual bedtime hour and stay up later.
Early Bird Pros:
- While night owls may be more intelligent, early birds are the ones who get better grades. A study showed that early birds scored a full GPA point higher than their late-rising counterparts.
- Night owls who aren’t freelancers are at a disadvantage. While not all jobs take place during the hours of nine-to-five, most career options still vastly prefer daylight hours. This gives early birds a much better shot at catching the success “worm.”
- Socializing also comes more easily.
- As one study stated: “Morning people anticipate problems and try to minimize them… They’re proactive. A number of studies have linked this trait, pro-activity, with better job performance, greater career success, and higher wages.”
- Early birds are more likely to set goals and make plans, enabling them to anticipate problems and eliminate them before they happen.
- Unlike night owls, they may not have that sudden burst of energy, but they know how to efficiently use the energy they do have.
- Early birds are more likely to exercise and are typically healthier.
LASTLY! Here is some great info for my in-betweeners!
Apparently, there’s a name for in-betweeners: Hummingbirds. Being a hummingbird has perks too. Our society is structured to be generally awake when you little hummingbirds are awake and asleep when you're asleep. Unlike night owls, you usually don’t have to work against our own internal clocks, and unlike early birds, you don’t drive other people crazy by being awake and chipper at five in the morning.
But, hummingbirds have their struggles too. It's difficult to pull an all nighter or to wake up early to get extra things done. Same with trying to fit a workout in to stay healthy. Both morning and night are difficult for this. And of course happy hour is at a weird time for most hummingbirds because happy hour usually happens when you’re still immersed in your work zone. But then late-night drinks always happen when you’re winding down for the day. It's all very complicated."
CLINK!
The truth is, there isn't one that's better than the other! Early birds, night owls and hummingbirds all have benefits to the lifestyle in which they thrive best. What's important is understanding where you thrive and instead of letting a certain lifestyle control you, take complete control of your lifestyle. Figure out what hours of your day where you function best and make sure that you do what you can to ensure you complete your non-negotiables (aka the stuff you have no choice but to get done- aka a word I learned from Julie Booher!) during that timeframe.
Keep striving to thrive babes!
Stay bubbly,
Broms