Night Owls Perform Better On Cognitive Tests: Study

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14 July 2024

A new study has claimed that night owls, people who tend to be awake late into the night, perform better on cognitive tests as compared to those who are early risers

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The study was conducted by Imperial College London to understand how sleep duration, patterns and quality affect mental sharpness and cognitive capacity

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After finishing a series of assessments, participants indicated whether they felt more alert and productive in the morning or the evening

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Researchers discovered that a person’s chronotype-their inclination for morning or evening activities-had a significant impact on test results

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These chronotypes were called “morning larks” and “night owls.” Further, owls fared better than early birds, with larks regularly scoring lowest on cognitive measures

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The participants classified as “intermediate,” or having a modest preference for either day or night, also saw an improvement in their scores

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Study author Dr Raha West said that this does not mean that all morning people have bad cognitive performance

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“The findings reflect an overall trend where the majority might lean towards better cognition in the evening types,” she added

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Experts stated that getting seven to nine hours of sleep per night is best for brain health, regardless of whether you consider yourself an owl or a lark

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It has been demonstrated that getting fewer than seven or more than nine hours of sleep is bad for the health of the brain

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