Going to bed early is often considered essential for anyone wanting to be at their peak energy the following day. However, a new study suggests that staying up late may be the better choice. The findings reveal that those who prefer to stay up late and are more active and alert in the evening tend to perform better on cognitive tests than those who sleep early and wake up early.
According to this study, the prevailing notion that people who do not go to bed until the early hours of dawn struggle to accomplish anything during the day may need re-evaluation. In fact, it appears that staying awake late could be beneficial for our brainpower, as results indicate that individuals known as "night owls" may be smarter than those who go to bed early.
Researchers led by academics at Imperial College London analyzed data from the UK Biobank study involving over 26,000 people who completed tests on intelligence, reasoning, reaction time, and memory. They examined how the duration, quality, and timing of the participants' sleep (which determines when we feel awake and productive) affected brain performance.
They found that those who stay up late and those categorized as "intermediates" have "superior cognitive function," while "morning larks" (people who typically wake up early and go to bed early) received the lowest scores. Staying up late is strongly associated with creative types. However, the study noted that sleep duration is important for brain function, as those who get between seven to nine hours of sleep perform better on cognitive tests.
