On Campus

The secret to high marks: sleep in

Higher marks, higher IQ correlates with ‘nocturnal’ sleeping patterns.

Want to know what successful, high-achieving students with high IQs have in common? They sleep in late.

According to new research, there’s a correlation between intelligence and sleeping in. Researchers say that people with higher IQs and better marks tend to be “nocturnal night-owls,” staying up late and sleeping in, whereas people with lower IQs tend to go to bed and get up earlier.

The article from the Winnipeg Free Press says that genetic factors control 50 per cent of “sleep-time choices.” Age also has an impact on sleep patterns, with “eveningness” appearing the most between the ages of 17 and 21.

Don’t be too quick to start sleeping in, though. Evening types may have higher IQs and better marks, but they also “tend to be less reliable, less emotionally stable and more apt to suffer from depression, addictions and eating disorders.”

Looking for more?

Get the Best of Maclean's sent straight to your inbox. Sign up for news, commentary and analysis.
  • By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy. You may unsubscribe at any time.
FILED UNDER: