Birds of this feather don't exclusively flock together.
Every athlete knows that education is a crucial part of performance. Sport and exercise research, insight from top trainers, science, and technology help you to better understand your body so you can craft a healthier lifestyle, workouts, and recovery plan.
In our daily news series, experts address some of the latest fitness research, nutrition, style, and health stories.
THE SCIENCE
According to new research from Aalto University in Finland, your genetically pre-determined sleep schedule, or chronotype,correlates with the size of your social network and with whom you socialize. The study tracked participant's mobile data over a one-year period and found that night owls spend more time interacting with a wider range of friends than do early birds.
EXPERT INSIGHT
“We think that the reason for night owls having larger networks is that the evening is more socially accepted as a time to connect and have big gatherings,” says study author Talayeh Aledavood, a doctoral researcher at Aalto University. "In the mornings, you're more likely to be solo or with fewer people."
THE BOTTOM LINE
Whether you're an owl or a lark, you should respect your body's internal clock, says Aledavood. If you're a morning person who wants to broaden your social network, instead of staying up late, consider joining an a.m. running crew or group fitness class.