There’s a persistent myth in our culture that success and downright virtue belong to the early risers—those “5 a.m. club” members who rise before the sun and conquer their to-do lists while the rest of us are still snoozing. Social media is flooded with images of pre-dawn productivity, and best-selling books tout the virtues of rising before the sun comes up. But is this really the secret to success and well-being for everyone—or just a select few?

The truth is, our sleep-wake rhythms, otherwise known as our chronotypes, are deeply rooted in biology. Chronotypes refer to our natural preferences for being awake or asleep at certain times of day, and they are about 50 percent genetically determined. Just as we inherit our eye color or height, we largely inherit our tendency toward morningness or eveningness. Being a night owl is no more a character flaw than having blue eyes instead of brown.

Yet, our society continues to glorify early birds while subtly (or not so subtly) shaming night owls. We label these midnight mavericks lazy, undisciplined, or lacking willpower, as if sleep preference is a choice rather than a biological reality. This mindset leads to policies and schedules that force night owls to live out of sync with their natural rhythms, resulting in chronic sleep deprivation, reduced productivity, and increased health risks.

The consequences of this misalignment are particularly stark in adolescence, a time when circadian rhythms naturally shift toward later bed times. During adolescence, most teens become night owls, at least temporarily, yet we expect them to be bright-eyed and ready for learning at 7:30 a.m. The science is clear: delaying school start times improves sleep quality, attendance rates, academic performance, and mental health. Yet, many schools continue to resist change, clinging to outdated schedules that favor early birds.

The same principle applies in the workforce. Forcing night owls into early schedules is a recipe for burnout and inefficiency. Instead, we should embrace flexibility, allowing work schedules to better align with timing for individuals’ optimal performance. This could mean later start times, flexible hours, four-day work weeks, or remote work options. By respecting individual differences, we can maximize productivity, creativity, and well-being.

Rather than maligning night owls, we should celebrate and leverage the diversity of human biology. After all, the world needs both early birds and night owls, as each brings unique strengths and perspectives. To truly unlock our collective potential, it’s time to move beyond the myth of the 5 a.m. club and create environments, in schools, workplaces, and beyond, that support the natural variation in circadian rhythms across the population.

Sleep is not a luxury, and our circadian rhythms are hard-wired. It’s time to wake up to the science and develop systems to help people to sleep in harmony with their biology.

– Wendy M. Troxel, Published courtesy of RAND.