Skip to Content Skip to Navigation Accessibility Policy Click to login to your Account
Protein Crisp Bars are buy one, get one 50% off with code CRISP Shop Now
Bulletproof Bulletproof is a food and beverage company, known for Bulletproof Coffee and products that fuel your mind and body.
Menu
Shop
Shop
Coffee
Ground Whole Bean Single-Serve Pods The High Achiever™ Starter Kits Creamers & Mix-Ins Build Your Coffee Routine View all
MCT Oil
Brain Octane Oil MCT Oil View all
Proteins
Collagen Peptides Protein Bars Collagen Protein Plus Support View all
Supplements
Greens Gummy Vitamins Daily Wellness Immune Support Stress & Sleep Gut & Digestive Health Energy & Brain Health Bone & Joint Support Build Your Wellness Routine View all
Other
Tech Coffee Mugs & Bottles Books View all
Shop All Products
Looking for a personalized product line up?
Take the Quiz
Health Upgrades
Health Upgrades
Guides
Immune Boost Sleep Hacks Brain Upgrades Weight Loss & Diet Anti-Aging View all
Supplements
Greens Gummy Vitamins Daily Wellness Immune Support Stress & Sleep Gut & Digestive Health Energy & Brain Health Bone & Joint Support Build Your Wellness Routine View all
Bulletproof quiz find the right products for you
Product Quiz
Customize your routine

Personalize your product lineup in minutes. Plus, score 20% off!

Take The Quiz
Looking for a personalized product line up?
Take the Quiz
Recipes
Recipes
Recipes
Snacks Breakfasts Main Dishes Beverages Desserts Keto Paleo View all
Shop All Products
Bulletproof Coffee Recipe
FEATURED RECIPE
BULLETPROOF COFFEE: THE OFFICIAL RECIPE
VIEW RECIPE
Beginner keto cookbook
Free eCookbook
21 Easy Recipes to Fuel Your Keto Journey
Download Now
Looking for a personalized product line up?
Take the Quiz
Learn
Learn
Where to Start
Take the Product Quiz About Bulletproof Bulletproof for Beginners Bulletproof Coffee: The Official Recipe What makes Bulletproof Coffee Beans Different? What are MCT Oils? What is Collagen Protein? Starter Kits Newsletters & Guides
Keto Kickstart
Keto Beginners Guide Calculating Carbs Alcohol Guide Keto Foods List Dirty vs. Clean Keto Weight Loss Troubleshooting Keto Recipes
Bulletproof Blog
Diet Recipes Coffee Supplements Sleep Gut Health Lifestyle View all
Books
Game Changers The Bulletproof Diet Bulletproof The Cookbook View all
Shop All Products
Looking for a personalized product line up?
Take the Quiz
Subscribe & Save 20%
Deals
Deals Take the Product Quiz Subscribe & Save 20% expand/collapse Store Locator Account Cart
Deals Take the Product Quiz Subscribe & Save 20% expand/collapse Account Cart
Search

Share

product
https://www.bulletproof.com/sleep/sleep-hacks/from-early-bird-to-night-owl/ article-1525 From Early Bird to Night Owl https://www.bulletproof.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/birdagainststream-240x160.jpg 1 USD InStock Sleep Hacks Biohacking Sleep ACC09-00009 NUT08-00015 article
Home / Sleep / Sleep Hacks
|August 14, 2019

From Early Bird to Night Owl

By Dave Asprey

From Early Bird to Night Owl

Do you know what type of bird you are?

Most people don’t. They work the typical 9 to 5 without considering when they are most productive.

As biohackers, that is not okay. We want to work smart and play hard with maximum results.

A biohacker’s goal is to pinpoint times when creativity flows and focus is dead on.

The catch is–everyone is different. Being a night owl or an early bird depends on personal preference… at least somewhat.

This is makes sense, right? If you prefer working at a certain time of the day, then work at that time! After all, studies may say one thing, but the defining factor is how you feel and when you produce.

However…your optimal productive time is often associated with your genetics.

According to Lamberus Klei of Carnegie Mellon and Patrick Rietz of the University of Pittsburgh, your sleep preferences are genetic.(1) In 2008, studies at the Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry demonstrated sleep-time preferences are often inherited, and subsequent data indicates that 50% of sleep-time choices are dictated by genetic factors.(3)

However, other studies contradict these results. Many scientists interpret productivity, mood, and alertness in early birds and night owls in different ways. This post is to help you figure out which time is most productive for you.

If you’re like most productive people, you’ll want to upgrade how you work so you have time for other important things in life! Here are the studies:

The Early Bird

  • Scientists from the University of Bologna infer that early birds are more conscientious people.
  • A 2008 study by psychologist Marina Giamnietro et al. indicates evening-people tend to be less reliable, less emotionally stable and more apt to suffer from depression, addictions and eating disorders.(1)  (From a personal perspective, “doh!”)
  • The American Psychologist Association agrees that ‘morningness’ is associated with greater positive emotions in all age groups.(6) Measuring happiness is subjective, but it does show ‘morningness’  is associated with positive emotions.
  • Published in the Journal of Applied Social Psychology, Christopher Randler, a professor at the University of Education in Heidelberg, Germany reported that early birds are more proactive than evening people, and so they do well in business. “They tend to get better grades in school, which gets them into better colleges which then leads to better job opportunities. Morning people also anticipate problems and try to minimize them. They’re proactive,” he says.(6)

The studies that say evening types are less reliable and stable, but that could be the result of night owls trying to fit the early bird way of life!

Let’s see what the night owls have to say about that.

The Night Owl

  • Research by Satoshi Kanazawa et al. at the London School of Economics discovered significant differences in sleep preferences, and found that people with higher IQs are more likely to be night owls. They found an evolutionary shift from being active in the day towards nightly pursuits and that those individuals who preferred to stay up late demonstrated “a higher level of cognitive complexity.”(2)
  • Researchers from Belgium and Switzerland studying sleep habits found that early risers needed more rest than their nocturnal counterparts and didn’t focus as well later in the day as those who slept in.(2)
  • Functional MRI studies were used to judge homeostatic sleep pressure- the body’s need for sleep- in night owls and early birds. The morning birds woke up between 4 and 5:30 a.m and went to bed by 9 p.m. The night owls went to bed at 3 or 4 a.m. and rose at noon.
  • In the night owls, increased activity was seen in two parts of the brain at 10.5 hours that are involved in regulating the circadian signal. Essentially, the circadian signal was winning out over the pressure to sleep.
  • For the early birds, on the other hand, “the sleep pressure prevents the expression of the circadian signal,” so those individuals were less able to keep their attention focused, says study coauthor Philippe Peigneux. The study is the first to show that circadian rhythms and sleep pressure interact to govern behavior.(4)
  • The early birds also felt sleepier and didn’t react as quickly during tasks. Researchers say early birds could be more sensitive to sleep pressure than night owls. (5)

Which Bird Are You?

While choosing your time of productivity, it is important to remember that your sleep also plays a big role. If you lack GOOD sleep, then you will not perform ideally.

Since I have made almost every possible mistake when it comes to hacking sleep, I’ve documented the most effective methods for sleeping better in less time. Here they are.

As a bird, I am a night owl. I prefer getting work done at night.

In combination with the Bulletproof Diet, and being a night owl, I definitely feel less sleep pressure than my early bird friends. It helps that I’ve also got several biohacking toys that let me get the most out of my sleep when I really need it. Knowing my ideal times for focus allows me to prioritize work and play, go until the wee hours of the morning and still feel refreshed when I wake up in the morning.

That said, I spent a year rising at 5am to do an hour of meditation every morning, and I found it worked for me too. I was rested and productive, but I went to bed earlier (between 11 and 1:00am). An hour of meditation can replace two hours of sleep, and you can function as a morning person even if it’s not your natural state.

There is an awesome article at FastCompany.com that gives you insight on how top executives get their work done at night too. It shows you how they have narrow focus, avoid clutter, boost creativity, and think big as the midnight oil burns. It may also help that the early birds are all asleep!

For you biohackers, choose what works best for you. Look at your family history, your work setting, your home setting, and how you feel at these times. And experiment! Hack your body so you can optimize your work at the time you want.

Using Bulletproof Coffee at times when you are not used to working will allow you to experiment with your BEST productivity time. The studies show there are benefits to both sides, and it is your job as a biohacker to see what suits you best.

How have you figured out what kind of bird you are? Got any tips for working with birds of the opposite feather? If you have any questions, share them in the comments below.

References:

  1. Alison, Robert. “Smart People SLEEP LATE.” Winnipeg Free Press. N.p., n.d. Web. Sept. 2012. <http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/westview/smart-people-sleep-late-82486792.html>.
  2.  Dishman, Lydia. “What Successful Night Owls Get Done Before Bed.” Fast Company. N.p., n.d. Web. Sept. 2012. <http://www.fastcompany.com/3000732/what-successful-night-owls-get-done-bed>.
  3. Mindfulness and mind-wandering: Finding convergence through opposing constructs. Mrazek, Michael D.; Smallwood, Jonathan; Schooler, Jonathan W. Emotion American Psychological Association Jun 1, 2012
  4. Thompson, Andrea. “Night Owls Stay Alert Longer than Early Birds.” LiveScience.com. N.p., n.d. Web. Sept. 2012. <http://www.livescience.com/7723-night-owls-stay-alert-longer-early-birds.html>.
  5. “Morning Birds Buckle Under Sleep Pressure – Science News.” Morning Birds Buckle Under Sleep Pressure – Science News. N.p., n.d. Web. Sept. 2012. <http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/43198/title/Morning_birds_buckle_under_sleep_pressure>.
  6. Biss RK, Hasher L. Happy as a lark: morning-type younger and older adults are higher in positive affect.Emotion. 2012 Jun;12(3):437-41. Epub 2012 Feb 6. PubMed PMID: 22309732; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC3399900.

Statements made on this website have not been evaluated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Products sold on this website are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Information provided by this website or this company is not a substitute for direct, individual medical treatment or advice. It is the responsibility of you and your healthcare providers to make all decisions regarding your health. Bulletproof recommends that you consult with your healthcare providers regarding the diagnosis and treatment of any disease or condition.

About Dave Asprey

Dave Asprey is an entrepreneur, author and the founder of Bulletproof. In 2011 Asprey introduced the world to the widely-popular Bulletproof Coffee and in 2014, through his New York Times best-selling book of the same name, the Bulletproof Diet. He is a four-time New York Times bestselling author, host of the Webby award-winning podcast Bulletproof Radio, and has been featured on the Today show, Fox News, Nightline, Dr. Oz, and many more.

TAGS

BiohackingSleep

Related Bulletproof Sleep

Graphic of brain during sleep
Why Is Sleep Important? Benefits Of Getting Enough Rest
This Yoga Nidra Routine Will Make You Feel Like You Got a Full Night’s Sleep_header
This Yoga Nidra Routine Will Make You Feel Like You Got a Full Night’s Sleep
Man meditating outside
Your Guide to Light Therapy for Better Energy, Sleep and Mood
Woman's legs sticking out of blankets with alarm clock on the bed
How to Find Your Best Sleep Cycle: Polyphasic, Biphasic and Monophasic Sleep
Sign up today & save 15%
SHOP
  • Coffee
  • MCT Oils
  • Proteins
  • Supplements
  • Other
  • All Products
Learn
  • Bulletproof for Beginners
  • Recipes
  • Newsletters & Guides
  • Bulletproof Blog
  • Books
CUSTOMER CARE
  • Contact Us
  • Shipping Policy
  • Return Policy
  • Accessibility Policy
COMPANY
  • About Us
  • Press
  • Careers
  • Customer Reviews
  • Rewards
  • Give $15, Get $15
PARTNERS
  • Store Locator
  • Wholesale
  • Ambassador Program
  • Affiliate Program
Discover What Better Feels Like
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • YouTube

†Statements made on this website have not been evaluated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Information provided by this website or this company is not a substitute for individual medical advice. | ©Bulletproof 360, Inc. 2013–2023

  • Privacy Policy|
  • Terms|
  • Reseller Policy|