Health And Wellness

Why Night Owls Are Smarter And Make More Money, According To Research

Photo: Sam Wordley / Shutterstock
why night owls smarter and make more money

So much for the early bird gets the worm.

Study after study proves that night owls are more intelligent and thus, more likely to make more money than morning people.

Researchers had 1,000 teenagers at University of Madrid complete tests that measured school performance and inductive intelligence.

The study found that night people score higher on inductive reasoning, which is a sign of general intelligence and a good predictor of positive academic performance. 

Inductive reasoning is also tied to prestigious occupations, where people earn higher incomes.

RELATED: The Weird Thing Your Favorite Sleeping Position Reveals About Your Health

Another study found that people who enjoy staying up throughout the night tend to be smarter than those who are getting their beauty rest.

The study also found that US Air Force recruits who are more awake at night are more likely to have the ability to think laterally than their morning counterparts.

The study does not mean that staying up late makes you smarter, but instead that people with higher IQs and intelligence tend to stay up later. 

So, no you can't get smarter just by forcing yourself to stay up late. Sorry. 

Other studies have also researched different populations to help understand what sleeping habits mean for intelligence.

Scientists from The University of Chicago and Northwestern University analyzed GMAT scores from MBA students in 2014.

They discovered that GMAT scores were significantly higher among night owls than early risers for both men and women. 

RELATED: Why So Many People Wake Up For An Hour In The Middle Of The Night... On Purpose

But before you start adjusting your snooze schedule, know this:

There's one thing that is working against nocturnal people — school and work performance.

Unless you're working the night shift, your up-all-night schedule is more likely to make you perform worse at school and work.

After observation, the study found that the levels of achievement amongst night people were rated lower by eight percent, in comparison to morning people.

Society's need for early schedules seem to throw nocturnal people off their A (+) game.

Guess it evens the playing field a bit.

RELATED: 5 Night Owl Zodiac Signs Who Love To Stay Up Late

Nicole Weaver is a writer focused on relationships, pop culture and health.