‘Tis the season for pulling all-nighters… finals season, that is. Staying up all night certainly isn’t a natural thing, as proven by the umpteen cups of coffee you need in order to stay functional. However, your regular sleep schedule—as in, whether you’re prone to getting up early in the mornings (ha!) or are more productive at night, is natural.
A study conducted at the University of Leicester all but confirms that people are genetically predisposed to fall into one of two categories: Morning Lark or Night Owl. So that freshman year roommate, who stayed up every night until 4 am, couldn’t help it (you can stop being passive-aggressive about it now). The same goes for those people who can’t seem to sleep in past 8 am. So next time you curse yourself for not being able to fall asleep at 11 pm or for not being able to wake up at 11 am, blame your DNA.
Of course, just because our genetics tell us one thing, doesn’t mean society will change to fit our schedule. Even if you discover that you prefer nights to mornings, you’ll still be expected to make it to work on time. Still, in college, we often have the ability to choose our schedules. Next time you think you can muscle through that 8 am, think again. We’re at our healthiest when we’re not fighting our natural circadian rhythm. So sweet dreams and choose your schedules wisely, collegiettes!