The timing of our sleep is governed by our internal body clock known as the circadian rhythm. But not everyone’s circadian rhythm acts in the same way. Scientists have shown that we have a biological tenancy to prefer staying up later, waking up earlier, or have what’s considered a normal sleep pattern.
The Morningness Eveningness Questionnaire below is a popular test used by sleep doctors to assess whether or not a patient is a night owl, a morning lark, or in between, and to what extent.
To take the test, just fill out the form below and press calculate to receive your result. The test assumes you have a regular sleep schedule, but if you don’t, answer the questions with the timing of your preferred sleep schedule free from any commitments.
Here’s what your score means:
|16 – 30||Definitely Evening Type|
|31 – 41||Moderately Evening Type|
|42 – 58||Neither Type|
|59 – 69||Moderately Morning Type|
|70 – 86||Definitely Morning Type|
It’s understood that 70% of us are neither larks or owls, and have what can be considered to be a normal sleep routine. 20% of us are night owls, with a preference for staying up late into the night, and sleep in late as a result. 10% are considered morning larks, people who feel their best early morning, often falling asleep earlier than most.
Whether we are larks or owls tends to change as we age. Teenagers and adolescents are more likely to be night owls, and as we get older, we have a natural tendency to become morning larks. So if you retake this test in a few years’ time, you might find your result has shifted one way or another.
Knowing whether you’re a night owl, morning lark or neither can be worked towards your advantage. Night owls are more productive during the night, where as morning larks are more productive during the morning. By scheduling high intensity tasks at your peak times you can effectively get more done. If you have flexible work commitments you may find it useful to either shift your sleep timing forwards or backwards to best take advantage of your most productive times.
Society is traditionally morning centric with early morning appointments or commitments being the norm. This however does seem to be changing with a new shift into 24 hour lifestyles. People can now work and rest at whatever time they want. Targeting job opportunities that provide the best match for your sleep pattern can give you a distinct advantage in the workplace.
There are some important considerations to keep in mind. Hardcore owls or larks have a higher risk of developing a circadian rhythm disorder, where by they stay up later and later or go to bed earlier and earlier, until their sleep pattern goes out of control. This can be an issue for owls who need to be up in the morning, or for larks who need to stay awake into the evening. If you’re a hardcore lark or owl, take great care not to let your sleep pattern slip too much in any one direction.