Night owls and early risers should be able to choose their work schedule, according to a leading doctor in genetics. 

Dr Annie Curtis from the Royal College of Surgeons said the time we like to sleep and wake up at is “something we are born with” and working life should reflect this.

She estimates around 20% of people are night owls, 20% are larks, and the remaining 60% fall somewhere in the middle.

On The Pat Kenny Show, Ms Curtis said the hours we work should align with our body clock.

“There was a study on healthcare workers that showed those who could align better with their body clock had fewer percentages of burnout, depression and better sleep,” she said.

“There are huge health impacts to trying to beat your inner clock into submission.

“We can see much higher levels of chronic inflammatory diseases, anxiety, and depression when there’s a mismatch between your working day and your body clock.”

A woman struggling to sleep. Image: Dmitry Marchenko / Alamy Stock Photo

Ms Curtis said a simple exercise can show you what sort of biological rhythm you have.

“You need to ask yourself what the midpoint of your sleep is, which for me is 2.30am as I like to go to sleep at 10.30pm and wake up at 6.30am the next morning,” she said.

“If your midpoint is between midnight and 3am, you’re a lark.

“But if you’re an owl, your mid-point is between 6am and 9am and it’s very difficult for those people to work a normal 9-5 job.”

Work schedule

Country Manager for Robert Walters Recruitment Consultancy, Suzanne Feeney, said employers should consider staff preferences when it comes to a work schedule.

“If you look at hospitality, restaurants, it’s going to be very difficult to run a night service if you don’t have people there,” she said.

“It’s quite a challenge for some sectors and it’s not a one-size-fits-all all thing.

“By starting a couple hours earlier you could be meeting the needs of larks and by letting people finish later, start later, you’re meeting the needs of owls.

“The productivity levels go up, employees sense of purpose, job satisfaction, loyalty and it can be a win-win.”

A recent survey by Robert Walters Recruitment found just 9% of those who work a 9-5 job in Ireland would like to stick with their current work schedule.