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We’ve all heard it before: to be successful, get out of bed early. After all, Apple CEO Tim Cook gets up at 3:45 am, Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne at 3:30 am and Richard Branson at 5:45 am- - -and, as we know, “The early bird catches the worm.” Indeed, it may be true that those who get up early have a jump start on the day before others are even out of bed.

But just because some successful people wake up early, does that mean it’s a trait most of them share? And if the idea of having exercised, planned your day, eaten breakfast, visualized and done one task before 8 am. makes you want to roll over and hit snooze until next Saturday, are you really doomed to a less successful life?

For about half of us, this isn’t really an issue. It’s estimated that some 50% of the population isn’t really morning- oriented or evening oriented, but somewhere in the middle. Roughly one in four of us, though, tend more toward bright-eyed early risers, and another one in four are night owls. For them, the effect can go beyond falling asleep in front of the TV at10 pm or being regularly late for work.

Numerous studies have found that morning people are more self-directed and agreeable. And compared to night owls, they are less likely to be depressed, drink or smoke.

Although morning types may achieve more academically, night owls tend to perform better on measures of memory, processing speed and cognitive ability, even when they have to perform those tasks in the morning. Night-time people are also more open and more creative. And one study shows that night owls are as healthy and wise as morning types- and a little bit wealthier.

Still think the morning people sound more like CEO material? Don’t set your alarm for 5 am just, yet, as it turns out, overhauling (大修) your sleep times may not have much effect.

“If people are left to their naturally preferred times, they feel much better. They say that they are much more productive. The mental capacity they have is much broader,” says Oxford University biologist Katharina Wulf. On the other hand, she says, pushing people too far out of their natural preference can be harmful. When they wake early, for example, night owls are still producing melatonin (褪黑激素 ). “Then, you disrupt it and push the body to be in the daytime mode. That can have lots of negative, physiological consequences,” Wulff says like a different sensitivity to insulin and glucose (葡萄糖) which can cause weight gain.