“The world is composed of morning people (larks), night people (owls) and those
in the middle (hummingbirds). None is better than the other; we’re just different.
Together, we’ve got all the bases covered…” ~ David Powdrell

Is the old proverb that the early bird gets the worm — implying that success goes to those getting started early — really correct? Increasingly, research tells us we all have different body rhythms and are most effective at different times. Those who utilize the strengths of their peak times and match them with their job and lifestyle may be the most effective among us.

Larks rise early and are most productive in the morning. They wake cheerfully, often without an alarm clock. Night people or owls struggle in the early morning but pick up as the day progresses. They become most active in the early evening. Owls need an alarm clock, and perhaps a backup. They often work late into the night. Hummingbirds fall more in the middle category and are more adaptable. It turns out biology and not a deliberate attempt to inconvenience each other may explain our differences.

Our pace and style are determined by something called circadian rhythms. Circadian rhythms are governed by our internal biological clock, which is located in the hypothalamus of our brain, just above the optic nerve. Circadian rhythms have a cycle of about 24 hours and are set by the sun. Most living things on earth have a circadian rhythm including animals, plants and even bread mold. Biological clocks tell plants when to open their leaves, when to flower and when to drop seeds. Animals eat, sleep and hibernate based on their circadian rhythm. 

Our personal circadian rhythm determines when our body secretes the hormone melatonin for sleep and cortisol, which gives us energy. Due to genetic or other factors, people do not have identical body clocks. Larks — who bounce cheerfully out of bed before 6 a.m. in the morning — might struggle miserably when asked to work a night shift. Owls with an 8 to 5 job are unable to be at their best when they have to get up in the middle of their natural sleep cycle. Larks may feel a downside socially when they are unable to stay awake for evening events.

Some studies show owls are more creative and better at inductive reasoning. Larks are more logical and analytical. Many owls are smarter but larks get better grades in school. Owls tend to have more money but are prone to depression.

Larks tend to be happier. Famous larks include George W. Bush, Ernest Hemingway, Thomas Edison and Napoleon. Famous owls include Winston Churchill, Elvis Presley, Charles Darwin and U.S. President Barack Obama. 

Jeffrey Larson at Brigham Young University and a team of researchers found that when an owl and a lark marry there are problems to overcome. They tend to spend less time together and often become judgmental of each other. In the workplace, it is hard for the differing types to understand each other.

Smolinsky and Lamberg, authors of The Body Clock Guide to Better Health, say that: “Extreme larks and owls report the most problems. They may find it difficult to function in some situations. They are not sick. They are not lazy. They are not lacking in motivation. Happily, in our increasing 24-hour world there are plenty of spots where most larks, owls and hummingbirds can find a secure perch.”

Researchers say it is difficult, but not impossible, to reset your body clock. The key is to get as much sunshine as possible in the morning, if you are trying to become larkish and more sun in the late afternoon, if you need to be more owlish.

Larks, hummingbirds and owls each make unique contributions. More flexible work schedules, 24 hour a day organizations, entrepreneurial opportunities and people working from home are creating more opportunities to find a situation matching each of our biological clocks.

Gordon Mercer is past president and on the Board of Trustees of Pi Gamma Mu International Honor Society and professor emeritus at Western Carolina University.

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Marcia Gaines Mercer is a published children’s author and columnist.

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