A new study finds that individuals who stay up, and wake up, later are smarter and more innovative, according to Woman’s Day.
There’s a lot to be said about “waking up with the sun.” You’re more likely to make the most of your day, having more time to be productive. While that’s a clear benefit, it seems that it might be better to be a night owl.
In a study cited in Psychology Today, people who stay up later—and wake up later—are smarter and more innovative. As New York Magazine explains, “living the late life means going against patterns passed from ancestors,” and that leads to a more likely chance of being a “progressive thinker.”
The connection between sleeping more and intelligence can be seen most clearly in teenagers, who require more sleep than adults. While adults are encouraged to get eight hours of sleep, teens need up to an hour and a half more than that, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics.
Since puberty makes it difficult for teens to sleep before 11 p.m., and school can mean waking up before 7 a.m., many of them are sleep deprived. As you’d expect, not spending enough time with the Sandman spells trouble for school performance, among other things.
