Why night owls are cleverer and richer than people who get up early

Research described in the article favors night owls over early risers. It says late sleepers last longer, stay less sleepy later in the day, and perform better after many hours awake, while earlier studies linked later rising with being cleverer and richer.

Reading notes

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• The article rejects the old idea that the early bird always does best.
• The study found late risers tire less quickly than people who get up at dawn.
• Volunteers kept their usual sleep times during the experiment.
• Both groups did similarly well soon after waking.
• Ten hours into the day, night owls were quicker and more alert.
• Brain scans showed lower activity in attention-related areas among the larks.
• The article says earlier studies found that later risers tend to be cleverer and richer.
• It also says getting up late appears to be in our DNA through genes that shape the body clock.