Are Night Owls Actually Smarter? Science Weighs the Evidence
New research continues to explore the link between sleep habits and cognitive abilities. Some studies suggest that night owls—those who prefer late nights—may have slight advantages in certain mental tasks. However, the evidence remains inconsistent, and health risks for late sleepers have also been identified.
The human body follows a natural daily cycle called the circadian rhythm, controlled by nerve cells known as the suprachiasmatic nuclei (SCN). Unlike other animals, humans can consciously override this internal clock, though they cannot change their innate preference for sleep timing, or chronotype. This preference is partly genetic and influences whether someone is a morning person, an evening type, or somewhere in between.
In 2007, psychologists Marina Giampietro and Gian Mauro Cavallera found that evening types performed better on tests of divergent thinking, a skill tied to creativity. Two years later, Satoshi Kanazawa’s research suggested a modest link between higher IQ and later sleep schedules. Yet, other studies contradict these findings. Christoph Randler and Mareike Bijvoet’s work in 2007 and 2009 actually showed that morning people demonstrated greater creative thinking than night owls.
More recently, a 2024 study by Imperial College London found that evening types and intermediate sleepers scored slightly higher on cognitive tests than morning types—but only when sleep duration was sufficient. Meanwhile, sleep scientist Matthew Walker argues that aligning daily activities with one’s chronotype leads to sharper thinking and better performance. However, a 2018 study by Kristen Knutson warned that night owls face a 10% higher risk of early death due to the strain of living out of sync with societal schedules.
The debate over whether night owls have cognitive advantages remains unresolved. While some research hints at benefits in creativity and problem-solving, other findings show health drawbacks for those fighting their natural sleep patterns. Experts agree that working with—rather than against—one’s chronotype may be the best approach for both mental and physical well-being.
