Are you a morning person or a night owl?

Chances are you already know whether you’re a morning person or night person. For some us getting up in the morning can be a real struggle and yet for others it’s a piece of cake.

There are two chronotypes identified by scientists: larks and owls. A ‘lark’ is up and at it early in the morning and tend to hit at a respectable hour, whereas, ‘owls’ are most alert at night and tend to stay up long after dark.

Your chronotype can shift over a lifetime and can be explained by our biological internal clock – or circadian rhythm. Some people have a slightly longer natural cycle and some a slightly shorter one. This means that if you have a longer circadian rhythm, you’re more likely to be a night owl and if it runs short, you’re more inclined to be an early riser.

Your circadian rhythm is also adaptable. That’s what allows people to recover from jet lag or work as flight attendants or shift workers. Being born with a predisposition toward waking early or sleeping late may be more difficult change but life circumstances and exposure to light – such as sitting in front a screen late or night – can change whether someone is a morning or night person.

Are you a lark or owl? Have you always been this way inclined?