The debate between morning larks and night owls (or just try to get a better night sleep, perhaps?)

It’s interesting how we all think that we are either ‘morning larks’ or ‘night owls’, isn’t it? 

Whilst there is some truth in the fact that we are genetically predisposed to do better either in the morning or in the evening, I do think that often the underlying problem of not being able to perform well in the morning is lack of sleep.

I believe that most of us have adopted behaviours that are not helping our circadian rhythm in the long run – with random eating patterns as well as being exposed to light at the wrong times of the day.

I follow the work of Dr Satchin Panda on circadian rhythm and health which I find fascinating.

I believe that – whilst there might be some truth in the fact that some people perform better later in the day – the differences are not huge and sometimes we are just masking a sleep deprivation problem by calling ourselves night-owls.

The effects of lack of sleep on the body are very similar to those of long-term stress i.e. difficulty making decisions, bad memory, reduced attention and cognitive function, higher inflammatory markers, insulin resistance etc.

A few years ago, when I lived in a forest in India for a few months, I noticed how everyone in that community was very much a morning person – probably because we had just tuned in with the rhythm of the forest, where all its inhabitants woke up early in the morning and became quieter at night. 

Maybe that is what we need to do more of: tuning in to the natural rhythm of day and night, light and darkness, instead of thinking that mornings don’t really work for us.

Have you ever tried it? Do you know what it takes to get a good night sleep? I wrote about this topic on my blog and whilst I know many out there disagree with the theory that good sleep equals better mornings, I hope you found this piece interesting and thought provoking.

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AUTHOR

Nicole Leida is an event professional, yoga teacher and nutritional therapist Nicole Does Wellness

Photo by Harm Weustink on Unsplash