You’ve probably decided, by now, that you’re either an early rising lark or a night owl. Early risers spring out of bed at 5 a.m., eager to get going. Night owls, of course, could not drag themselves out of bed at 5 a.m. for even the most important event.

While there is considerable debate over whether it’s better to be an early rising, worm getting lark than a night owl, it’s known that your preference for one over the other has to do with your circadian rhythm, or internal body clock. Your circadian rhythm regulates your sleep/wake cycle, and controls the release of hormones to get you going in the morning.

For some people, it’s possible that their circadian rhythm responds to the outside world in a slightly different way, making some of us prefer late nights and other early mornings. Still, only a fraction of us are actually “morning” or “night” people. Most of us fall somewhere in the middle. Only about 10 percent of the population are extreme morning or evening types. Should you strive to become a morning person? According to some experts, yes.

Larks May Have an Advantage over Night Owls

Numerous productivity experts swear by the powers of getting up early to make the most of your day. And, according to Psychology Today, “early risers are more agreeable than those who prefer the P.M. hours,” and “morning people also have more stable personalities and lower levels of aggression.”

These findings support the idea, according to Psychology Today, that the feel-good hormone serotonin plays a role in keeping your circadian rhythm “regular,” while at the same time keeping your mood stable. This may explain why people who naturally wake up early, and fall asleep at a reasonable hour, seem to also have more agreeable personalities.

How to Become a Morning Person

For night owls, becoming someone who springs out of bed as soon as the first morning sunlight filters through the shades may seem impossible, but rest assured that with the right supplementation, it’s not.

Often night owls cannot get to sleep early because they have difficulty letting go of the day or they have simply gotten into a different sleep pattern that has now become a habit and habits can be changed. The best way to break this cycle is to do relaxation and deep breathing exercises before trying to fall asleep, which very quickly slows down your mind and allows for clear, restful sleep. You can also supplement with, just before the time you want to go to sleep, melatonin and L-tryptophan, which will increase serotonin levels and reset your internal clock. Also, tell yourself just before falling asleep, “I will wake up at 6:00 AM” Follow this routine for a month and you have created a new habit.

For an easy relaxation exercise see What’s Keeping You Up?