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A recent study conducted by researchers at Imperial College London found that people who stay up late, known as night owls, may possess sharper cognitive abilities compared to those who go to bed early, commonly referred to as morning larks.

The research analyzed data from over 26,000 participants in the UK Biobank study, focusing on intelligence, reasoning, reaction time, and memory tests. The team examined how sleep duration, quality, and chronotype (the time of day individuals feel most alert and productive) influenced brain performance.

As per The Guardian, the findings revealed that night owls and those with an intermediate chronotype displayed superior cognitive function, while morning larks had the lowest scores. This discovery challenges the stereotype that night owls struggle to be productive during the day.

Dr. Raha West, lead author and clinical research fellow at Imperial College London's Department of Surgery and Cancer, emphasized the importance of aligning with natural sleep tendencies while ensuring adequate sleep.

"While understanding and working with your natural sleep tendencies is essential, it's equally important to remember to get just enough sleep, not too long or too short. This is crucial for keeping your brain healthy and functioning at its best."

Co-leader of the study, Prof. Daqing Ma, also from Imperial's Department of Surgery and Cancer, highlighted the significant impact of sleep duration on brain function.

"We found that sleep duration has a direct effect on brain function, and we believe that proactively managing sleep patterns is really important for boosting, and safeguarding, the way our brains work."

The study also touched on the correlation between going to bed late and creative professions. Renowned night owls include artists, authors, and musicians such as Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, James Joyce, Kanye West, and Lady Gaga. Politicians like Margaret Thatcher, Winston Churchill, and Barack Obama are noted for thriving on limited sleep, yet the study underscores that seven to nine hours of sleep per night is optimal for cognitive function.

Despite the compelling findings, some experts urge caution in interpreting the results. Jacqui Hanley, head of research funding at Alzheimer's Research UK, remarked, "Without a detailed picture of what is going on in the brain, we don't know if being a 'morning' or 'evening' person affects memory and thinking, or if a decline in cognition is causing changes to sleeping patterns."

Jessica Chelekis, a senior lecturer specializing in sustainability within global value chains and sleep studies at Brunel University London, highlighted several shortcomings in the study.

She emphasized the study's failure to consider variables such as educational attainment or the timing of cognitive tests. Despite these limitations, Chelekis noted the study's significance in questioning prevailing assumptions about sleep.