06/02/2026
It was great to be on with host Shay Grewal , and presenter Nigel Clarke ! talking about the latest London news and articles in the press, including this one from the Daily Mail and Times
Are you really just a night owl or a morning lark?
Most of us identify as one or the other (or somewhere in between). But new research from McGill University says there are actually FIVE sleep types.
Analysing 27,000+ adults, researchers found three kinds of night owl and two kinds of larks — based on personality, mental health, brain structure, and lifestyle.
The plot twist? People who both prefer late nights can have completely different brains and health outcomes. Being an early riser doesn’t automatically guarantee good health.
THE FIVE TYPES:
🦉 High-Performing Owls — Often parents, with fast reaction times but poorer emotional regulation
🦉 Energetic Owls — More likely to engage in risk-taking behaviours, yet with lower rates of depression, and more likely to be men who drank and smoked
🦉 Vulnerable Owls — More sedentary and at increased risk of low mood and depression
🐦 Classic Larks — Characterised by stable routines and drank moderately
🐦 Struggling Larks — More commonly female, reporting fatigue and higher depression risk.
Quick test: Do you wake up refreshed without an alarm? If so you’re probably in sync with your chronotype or sleep preference. Want to know your type? Check out Dr Michael J. Breus’s chronotype quiz.
What type do you think you are? 👇
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