Night Owl Pride Series - Part 2

Sick of being called lazy just because you prefer to hit the snooze button until noon? Well, my fellow night owls, it's time to break the stigma and embrace our nocturnal nature. Because guess what? We're not just lazy, we're just genetically wired that way. 

First off, let's define what we're dealing with here. A nocturnal chronotype is a fancy way of saying that you're a night owl. It’s the type of person who prefers to stay up late and sleep in until the sun is high in the sky.

If this sounds like you, congratulations, you're part of an elite group of people who have been bestowed with some pretty sweet evolutionary advantages. 

Sleep patterns are deeply ingrained in our biology, and many people fall into the category of night owls or nocturnal chronotypes. While society tends to favor early risers, there is mounting evidence that these night owls are not simply lazy or undisciplined, but rather an evolutionary necessity. It makes little evolutionary sense that absolutely all humans would go to bed and wake up simultaneously. Back in ancient days, some of us had to tend to fire and guard the village at night.  

So grab a cup of coffee (or three) and let's dive into the undeniable benefits of being a night owl.

1. Increased creativity is one of the most significant benefits of being a night owl. In a study published in the journal Thinking Skills and Creativity, researchers found that participants who identified as night owls performed significantly better on creativity tests than those who identified as morning people.

As a night owl who is a writer, poet, and artist, I do my best creative work from sunset onwards.

2. Another benefit of being a night owl is improved cognitive performance at night. Research published in the journal Frontiers in Human Neuroscience found that night owls had better cognitive performance and attentional control during the evening hours than morning people. This may be due to the fact that night owls' internal clocks are aligned with the natural fluctuations of the environment during those hours, allowing them to be more alert and focused.

3. Research published in the journal Sleep Medicine Reviews found that being a night owl may actually be a sign of greater genetic diversity. Night owls have been found to have a wider range of genetic variations associated with circadian rhythms, suggesting that they may be more adaptable and better suited to changing environments.

Follow for Part 3, where I will delve deeper into the topic of nocturnal humans!

Part 1 is here.

Tag your night owl friends and colleagues. 

Paloma Writes

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