What type of sleeper are you: morning lark or night owl?
In a recent analysis conducted by Joanna Gorgol and her colleagues at the University of Warsaw, Poland, new insights have emerged regarding the correlation between religious beliefs, preference for waking up early, higher life satisfaction, and conscientiousness.
Their findings, published today in the open-access journal PLOS ONE, shed light on the potential role of religiosity in strengthening the established link between being a morning person and experiencing greater life satisfaction, with conscientiousness serving as a contributing factor.
In various parts of the world, individuals exhibit diverse preferences when it comes to their sleep patterns. Some individuals find themselves inclined towards waking up early in the morning, while others prefer staying up late into the night.
However, a significant portion of the population falls somewhere in between these two extremes. Previous studies have established a connection between being a ‘morning person’ and experiencing higher levels of life satisfaction, as well as demonstrating greater conscientiousness.
Similarly, research has also identified a correlation between religiosity and increased life satisfaction and conscientiousness.
This suggests the possibility that religiosity could potentially contribute to the association between being a morning person and experiencing greater life satisfaction.
To gain a deeper understanding of the intricate dynamics between morning preference, conscientiousness, religiosity, and life satisfaction, the study conducted by Gorgol and colleagues involved two survey-based analyses of Polish adults.
The first analysis included 500 participants, while the second analysis encompassed 728 participants. Both groups completed comprehensive questionnaires to assess their preference for mornings, level of conscientiousness, and overall life satisfaction.
Additionally, one group was queried about their belief in God, while the other group responded to questions regarding their general level of religiosity.
The survey results reaffirmed the notion that individuals who prefer mornings exhibit higher levels of conscientiousness and life satisfaction. Furthermore, the data indicated a positive association between religiosity and morning preference.
Further examination of the data revealed that among morning people, a higher level of religiousness could partially account for the statistical link between morning preference and increased life satisfaction. In turn, this relationship appeared to be influenced by conscientiousness.
Based on the findings, the researchers speculate that morning people tend to display greater conscientiousness, which may make them more inclined to embrace religious beliefs. Consequently, their religiosity could contribute to heightened levels of life satisfaction. However, it is important to note that the study did not establish any causal relationships and did not account for sociodemographic characteristics of the participants. Therefore, further research will be necessary to delve deeper into these associations.
“The association between ‘morningness-eveningness’ and satisfaction with life might stem, at least in part, from higher religiosity among morning-oriented individuals,” the author remark.
“It means that more morning-oriented individuals may benefit from higher psychological wellbeing thanks to both personality characteristics and attitudes toward religion.”
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