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Waking up at 5 AM isn’t the magic key to success. Science says your body’s natural clock, not your alarm, decides when you are most productive.
Night owls perform better late and lose REM sleep if they wake up too early.
Some people thrive in the late hours of the night, while others feel their best in the early mornings. You have likely heard that “early birds get the worm” and that waking up at 5 AM boosts productivity. But does science really back this idea? Neuroscientist and author Rachel Barr breaks it down in a recent Instagram video.
According to her, it is not as simple as setting an early alarm. Our body follows an internal clock, also known as the circadian rhythm, which influences when we feel alert, tired, or even hungry. A big part of this rhythm comes down to genetics, which means not everyone’s brain is wired to function best at dawn.
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Early Rising Doesn’t Work For Everyone
“We are often told that the key to productivity and success is early rising, but it is not just your alarm that decides when you and your brain properly wake up; it is also your body. We have an internal timekeeping system that decides, you know, when we get hungry, when we get sleepy, and critically, when we are the most alert and the most productive. The trouble is, a big portion of that is decided for you by your genetics. If you have the genetic profile of a night owl, it means that you sleep and wake a little bit later. 5 am is probably not going to cut it,” Barr explained in the video.
Her point highlights that night owls may struggle with schedules that push them to rise early, not because they lack discipline, but because their bodies simply work on a different biological timeline.
Why Night Owls Might Actually Have An Advantage
The neuroscientist also shared some good news for those who prefer late nights.
“Not only does that mean that night owls tend to be more productive later in the day, it also means that if you are getting up at 5 am, you run the risk of losing most of your REM sleep. We sleep in cycles of non-REM sleep and REM sleep, non-REM sleep and REM sleep. The thing is, most of your REM actually happens later in the night or in the wee hours of the morning. That is significant because we think that it is during REM that we do most of our emotional processing in the brain,” she said.
In fact, missing out on REM sleep can affect both mental health and productivity, showing that waking up before your body is ready could do more harm than good.
Barr also revealed her personal experience with sleep schedules.
“I typically wake up pretty early, but I struggle with sleep, so I got my genetic testing done recently. It was not looking good overall, but imagine my surprise when I found out I am a night owl all these years! So, as you can imagine. I am testing out a new schedule right now, and it is going pretty well!” she added.
Her takeaway suggests that understanding your body’s natural rhythm is far more important than forcing yourself into a 5 am routine. Productivity doesn’t come from the clock; it comes from working with your biology.
- Location :
Delhi, India, India
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