Guest Column: Larks, Owls and Hummingbirds

[lsanderson]

By Leon Kreitzman

Teenagers are notoriously difficult to rouse in the mornings. For the sake of parental authority it may be best that we keep this an adult secret, but . . . it may not be the youngsters’ fault.

In many cases, it is not laziness, but a part of normal development and determined by the genes. Human circadian clocks are often geared to “owl-like” behavior during adolescence. Fortunately, boys tend to grow out of this by about age 20 and girls a year earlier. But there is a good case for schools opening later and experimenting with the timing of the curriculum and of examinations, so that there is a better match between organizational requirements and the capabilities of the students. More

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This article

[markiv1111.livejournal.com]

This is a superb article, and it covers a lot of things I've been thinking about most of my life. You see, I am a very clear-cut owl, and have been so for as long as I remember (grade school). Although my musician peers consider me talented, I think a major reason why I worked as a full-time musician for as long as I did (1968 through 1982, with a year's break working day jobs on a couple of occasions) is that this was the only way I could reconcile the need to make a living with my natural sleep/wake cycle. I believe I inherited this from my mother, as my father was a lark. Right now I am doing much better despite working days, but it's still good to know the scientific facts behind all of this. Thank you.

Nate