Researchers at the University of Oulu in Finland found a link between people’s natural body clocks and how much money they make. The study showed that folks who are more active at night (the night owls) tend to have traits linked to lower incomes. This connection was mainly seen in middle-aged men.

“Chronotype” means when you naturally feel awake and active during the day. It influences when you prefer to sleep and do things. This study explores how your chronotype might affect your job and how much you earn.

Working habits

The researchers used data from people born in Northern Finland in 1966, along with tax records. This special data helped them figure out how a person’s chronotype might affect their pay. They looked at things like education, work experience, lifestyle choices, and health.

One of the main findings was that night owls tend to have habits that are not so good for them, like drinking and smoking, not exercising much, being overweight, spending a lot of time on screens outside of work and school (like phones and computers), and having an unhealthy diet.

“Evening chronotypes tend to accumulate less human, social, and health capital. On average, accruing less work experience and making poorer choices regarding healthy lifestyle are associated with lower levels of income in middle age,” the researchers explain.

Body clocks

For men, having an evening body clock meant they earned about 4% less money each year over a seven-year period. This discovery matters a lot economically and socially.

In the study, 11% of people were night owls. It’s crucial to recognize and adjust to people’s natural body clocks at work. The usual 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. workday might not be the best fit for those with evening body clocks. They often have trouble sleeping and might not be at their most productive during regular work hours.

“Furthermore, finding solutions to support healthier lifestyle choices among evening type individuals seems important,” the researchers explain.

While the researchers stress that the study results should not be interpreted as causal (i.e., being of evening chronotype does not mean the person is certain to have a lower wage), they do hope that their work will encourage further research in this area.