Personality type can explain not only how people interact with their environment, but also reveal insights into their sleep habits. The Huffington Post recently summarized the subtle influence of personality on sleep habits.
I. Genes Determine Whether You're a "Night Owl" or an "Early Bird." The time you wake up isn't determined by personal will, but by your body's "circadian rhythm," which is largely determined by genes. Natalie Dotwich, an environmental scholar at the National Sleep Foundation, says, "A chronotype reflects an individual's circadian rhythm and is influenced by age. For example, teenagers are more likely to wake up later than older adults."
Second, early risers are happier. Researchers at the University of Toronto in Canada found that early risers are more emotionally positive, have higher life satisfaction, feel healthier, and have more willpower than night owls.
3. Type A personalities often experience difficulty falling asleep. Based on behavioral patterns, people are categorized into three personality types: A, B, and C. Type A personalities are often hot-tempered, energetic, easily agitated, and competitive. These individuals are easily troubled by stress and may experience difficulty falling asleep. Dr. Sharini Palousi, Chair of the Education Committee of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, believes that because Type A personalities cannot effectively shut down their brains, they find it difficult to enter a peaceful sleep.
Fourth, night owls are more adventurous. A 2014 study published in the journal Personality and Individual Differences showed that night owls are more inclined to seek novelty and sensory stimulation, and they are more creative and have stronger cognitive functions.
5. Extroverted people tend to have better sleep quality. A preliminary study published in the *Journal of Health Psychology* suggests a correlation between extroversion and high sleep quality. Furthermore, conscientious, cautious, and friendly people also tend to have better sleep quality.
6. Neurotic individuals are more prone to insomnia. A 2013 study published in the *Journal of Sleep Medicine Reviews* showed that people with neurotic traits have a stronger stress response, which can lead to sleep disorders and insomnia. When stress affects sleep, it creates a vicious cycle, and lack of sleep, in turn, weakens people's ability to cope with stress.
