What time do you typically go to bed? If it’s late at night, you might be a genius.
A study done by Satoshi Kanazawa, a psychologist at the London School of Economics and Political Science, showed that when you go to bed may not be random, but actually due to your IQ score. Focusing on people in their 20’s, a definite correlation was found, showing that those with an IQ score of less than 75 went to bed earlier than their higher scoring counterparts. The more nocturnal participants were found to have an IQ approaching or above 125.
The study showed the average sleep time for varying IQ scores as the following:
Very Dull (IQ < 75)
Weekday: 11:41 pm -7:20 am
Weekend: 12:35 am -10:09 pm
Normal (90 < IQ < 110)
Weekday: 12:10 am -7:32 am
Weekend: 1:13 am -10:14 am
Very Bright (IQ > 125)
Weekday: 12:29 am -7:52 am
Weekend: 1:44 am -11:07 am
But why is this?
Kanazawa believes that this pattern goes back a long way, to primitive years. Humans were trained to rise and fall with the sun, and those with lower IQs never questioned the idea. However, those very bright few looked outside their natural conditioning to explore the night as well as the day.
And those night-dwellers know there is more to be said for staying up late than a high IQ score. For example:
1. Alone time can be hard to come by…
From work, to roommates, dates, and friends, you’re probably spending a lot of time with other people while you’re in your 20’s. But not at night! When everyone else goes to sleep, you’ll finally get the chance to relax and revel in the silence that comes with a darker sky. Daydreaming isn’t specific to the daytime, and at night, it’s a perfect time to explore your mind, and set yourself up for the next day by filling your brain with positive thoughts.
2. You’ve always been a bit of a rebel…
And staying up later than you’re “supposed to” (or have been trained to think you’re supposed to) is an easy way to stick it to the man. As a kid, you probably got a rush of excitement from staying up past your bedtime, and you’ve carried that idea into your young adulthood. And there is nothing wrong with that! This tendency is shown to be linked to leadership qualities, since you are always one to challenge authority.
3. Live life to the fullest is a motto for you…
Because you’re open minded and willing to try anything. Because you stay up late, you have more time to explore the world around you, and that is linked to many things, including having more sex. By staying up later, you are more likely to have a positive sex life than your counterparts who are waisting the night sleeping. You are more willing to make discoveries about yourself and others when you’re up all night.
[Featured Image Credit: www.dailyedge.ie]
