May 01, 2025

​How Does Being A Night Owl Change Your Brain​

Aarushi Bhadury

​Brain Function and Sleep Preference​

Individuals who naturally prefer being active in the evening, often called 'night owls,' tend to show better performance on tests that measure their brain function compared to those who are 'morning larks.'

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​Optimal Sleep Duration​

Getting between seven and nine hours of sleep each night is associated with the best cognitive performance, leading to improvements in areas like memory, logical thinking, and how quickly the brain processes information.

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​Negative Impact of Too Little or Too Much Sleep​

Regularly sleeping for less than seven hours or for more than nine hours has been shown to have a harmful effect on various aspects of how well the brain is able to function.

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​Chronotype Matters​

An individual's inherent biological preference for being most active and alert during the morning or the evening, known as their chronotype, plays a significant role in their scores on cognitive assessments.

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​'Owls' Outperform 'Larks'​

Adults who identify as 'night owls,' meaning they naturally feel more energetic and productive in the evening, consistently achieved higher scores on cognitive tests in this study than 'morning larks.'

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​Intermediate Sleepers Also Score Higher​

People who don't have a strong preference for either morning or evening activity, falling into an 'intermediate' sleep type, also demonstrated better cognitive test results compared to those who are strictly morning-oriented.

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​Findings Adjusted for Other Factors​

The observed connection between a person's sleep preference and their cognitive abilities remained significant even after researchers accounted for factors like age, gender, lifestyle choices, and pre-existing health conditions.

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​Sleep Duration is Key, But Insomnia's Impact is Complex​

While the amount of sleep was important, people reporting insomnia didn't show significantly lower cognitive scores, suggesting that the specific characteristics of insomnia need further investigation.

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​Managing Sleep Patterns is Important​

Actively taking steps to manage and improve one's sleep schedule and habits is considered to be a crucial factor in promoting and protecting the optimal functioning of the brain over time.

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​Policy Interventions Suggested​

The researchers suggest that implementing public health strategies and policies aimed at improving sleep patterns across the population could have a positive impact on overall cognitive health.

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Thanks For Reading !

Next: ​Can Nightlights Affect Your Child’s Sleep​

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