Grades of students who are early sleepers & early risers have been found to be higher than students who sleep late at night for early morning classes! This research highlights the term, ‘chronotype,’ to define stable, behavioural differences between individuals. Using a unique sample of 753 students in a school in Buenos Aires that holds classes at three different times in the day (7:40 am, 12:40 pm, 5:20 pm), researchers found that early start for non-early chronotype students led to lower scores across subjects. This effect was not seen in afternoon students. By the evening, it was found that late chronotype students performed better. Overall, the researchers provide evidence showing that students’ academic performance will improve by matching their chronotype with suitable, matching school timings.
Goldin, A.P., Sigman, M., Braier, G. et al. Interplay of chronotype and school timing predicts school performance. Nat Hum Behav (2020).
