Some people wake up at the crack of dawn to get an early start on the day’s work, while others prefer to work late into the night. There is a scientific reason for this, as everyone has an internal biological clock, called a circadian rhythm, which affects whether a person is an “early bird” or a “night owl.”

Typically, an early bird has a strict and organized morning schedule to get the day going.

“I swim, and my morning practices are in the morning at 4:45,” sophomore Jacquee Clabeaux said. “So I wake up around 4:15 and then I eat a small breakfast and then I carpool with my friends over to swim. It ends at 6:15 so I come home quickly, take a shower, then I brush my teeth, get ready then I start walking to school.”

People who showcase a proclivity toward the morning tend to have more energy earlier in the day, making them more productive.

“My typical morning routine starts with my getting up by five o’clock in the morning so that I can get some exercise,” English teacher Barbara Clougherty said. “I’m not so much worried about a heavy workout as I am about getting some exercise in throughout the day, and the morning seems to be the best time. If I get up and start my day with exercise, then I’m more likely to fit it in.”

Exercising aids in preventing fatigue and sluggishness during the day.

“It’s more than just about exercise. It’s about getting blood pumping and getting, most importantly, oxygen to the brain so that I can be alert and awake, be able to think more and have more energy throughout the day,” Clougherty said.

Some students use other strategies to feel alert in the morning and energized throughout the day.

“Splashing water on my face wakes me up, but I just kind of power through [the day],” senior Ian Horil said. “I’ve just always been able to get up early.”

According to biologist Nikolai Shevchuk, a three-minute long cold shower can even counteract some effects of chronic fatigue.

There are many benefits to being a morning person. According to the journal Emotion, morning people typically feel happier and express more positive emotions. Therefore, they are less likely to suffer from depression.

“[Exercising in the morning] helps to keep me happy with my life, my family, my job and my students.”

Clougherty said.

The article “Early Birds Get Better Grades” by Charlene Laino shows that due to being alert in the morning, morning people can get more things done and be more productive than others, which results in higher academic grades.

“I like [waking up and getting to practice early] because it wakes me up for school,” Clabeaux said. “I’m not as tired as when I don’t go to practices before school so I’m a little bit more awake.”