‘Night owls’ earn 4% LESS than early risers, study finds
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- Scientists have discovered a link between circadian rhythm and income levels
- People who are more active in the evening tend to earn less than people who wake up early
Night owls tend to stay up late while early birds are the first to wake up.
But that’s not the only difference between the two – research suggests that those who burn the midnight oil are likely to earn less.
Scientists have discovered a link between circadian rhythm – the body’s internal clock – and income levels.
According to the results, individuals who tend to be more active in the evening also tend to show characteristics associated with less earning.
A team from the University of Oulu in Finland analyzed data from 12,000 people, collecting information about their education, work experiences, lifestyle choices, and health.
Night owls tend to stay up late while early birds are the first to wake up. But that’s not the only difference between the two – research suggests that those who burn the midnight oil are likely to earn less (stock image)
They discovered that night owls tended to show more “bad” characteristics such as drinking more alcohol, smoking, not exercising, having a higher body mass index, having an unhealthy diet, and spending more time in front of screens.
This is linked to lower income levels in middle age, they said.
Among men, the negative impact of being a night owl — also known as “evening chronotype” — was associated with a four percent lower average annual income.
This equates to someone earning £48,000 ($58,000) a year compared to £50,000 ($61,000).
Dr Andrew Conlin, who worked on the study, said: ‘Evening schedules tend to accumulate less human, social and health capital.
Night owls tend to show more “bad” characteristics such as drinking more alcohol, smoking, lack of exercise, higher BMI, unhealthy diet, and more screen time (stock image)
“On average, having less work experience and making poorer healthy lifestyle choices are associated with lower income levels in midlife.”
The team said that their findings underscore the importance of recognizing and accommodating individuals’ chronotypes in the workplace.
They added that since night owls are more active and alert in the evening, they tend to have trouble sleeping and may not work during the most productive period of the day.
“Individuals who work in the evening are more likely to earn higher wages through better lifestyle choices,” said the study, published in the Journal of Economics and Human Biology.
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