BY SIVANESAN RAJESWARAN & ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR DR ZAHARA ABDUL MANAF
DO YOU WAKE UP early every day or do you stay up late every night? Waking up early without forcing yourself or using of alarm clock would mean you are a morning person, staying up late into the night would make you a night owl. The early bird gets the worm, but when it comes to humans, do morning people really have an advantage, overnight people? Does one come out on top as more intelligent or successful than the other in this battle over bedtime?
Somewhat surprising truth is that we have little say in sleep preference, as it is almost entirely genetically pre-determined. Chances are if you are a night owl, it was likely passed down from an ancestor who was also a night owl. From an evolutionary perspective, it makes sense of having individuals with varying sleeping patterns would allow for better protection of a group throughout day and night instead of everybody sleeping at one time. Some people naturally stay up later, and some wake up earlier, aware of threats or predators while others sleep.