man healthy, wealthy and wise.” And according to science, he might have been right.

Many successful creative people stick to strict morning routines. Anna Wintour editor in chief

at Vogue starts her day with a bright and early 5:45 a.m. tennis match, according to

The Guardian.

Former Apple CEO Steve Jobs had his own ritual every morning too.

“For the past 33 years, I have looked in the mirror every morning and asked myself:

“If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?

Taking the time to find that kind of perspective has been biologically proven to be a total

game changer. Biologist Christoph Randler found that early risers tend to be more proactive,

more optimistic, more agreeable, and conscientious. And as they start the day early with that

attitude established, challenges that come later in the day take less of a toll physiologically.

The point is not to wake up early just to start working early — others use the time

for meditation, exercise, stretching, writing, or finding inspiration. But the consistency

of the time of day biologically programs their minds and bodies differently than those who

do not take advantage of that window of time.

MRI scans show that the prefrontal cortex of our brain is most active in the early morning

after we wake up. That’s the part of the brain used for decision making, social behavior,

planning, goal-making, personality, and willpower.

Speaking of willpower - researchers at the University of Nottingham and the National

Institute of Education in Singapore revealed that there is a significant physiological

drop in self-control as the day wears on. Effort, perceived difficulty, fatigue, and

blood glucose levels all suffered from later stages in the day. Willpower is most strongest

in those few, precious early-morning hours. Mornings, then, make the most sense for productivity

since willpower can be sapped throughout the day by any number of different stressors—work,

school, kids, chores, etc.

But that’s just it, maybe it’s all those things you HAVE to do that makes it better

to be a morning person. It’s deeply ingrained in our culture that waking up early is a good

thing. Schools and business work on the assumption that most people work better in the morning.

and many people think evening people are lazy.

When in fact they tend to be more creative, humorous and according to a study published

in the journal Personality and Individual Differences. Creative types just tend to work

better in the evening, another study published in the Journal of Biological Rhythms found

that their brains were most excitable at 9 p.m.

And it’s rooted in biology to some degree. Some studies show that about 50% of our sleep

cycle can be pinned down to biology. Back in our caveman days, having a mix of early

risers and night owls was probably a good thing. That way someone could always take

over the watch.

And there’s a small shift in society, some businesses have started to institute flex

time, where workers can set their own schedules. But for the vast majority of workers, being

a morning person might be best for now. If you want to get into the rhythm of a morning

person there’s a few tricks you can try.

Go outdoors! One study published in the journal Current Biology found that a week of camping

can reset the body’s clock. The researchers found that when we are exposed to natural

light most people’s bodies sync to the cycles of daylight. According to a different study

published in the journal Neuroendocrinology Letters, just getting a burst of sunlight

in the morning can “stimulate the body's 24-hour biological system, which regulates

the sleep/wake cycle.”

Getting into a routine can also set you on the right track. The time of day doesn’t

matter so much as simply sticking to your ritual everyday. Rituals can help you stay

focused. But how does someone stay focused when they’re being set on fire? Check out

this video from Rituals to see how a Hollywood stuntman stays calm.”