Lark (person)
Encyclopedia
The lark
Lark
Larks are passerine birds of the family Alaudidae. All species occur in the Old World, and in northern and eastern Australia; only one, the Shore Lark, has spread to North America, where it is called the Horned Lark...
(bird) is primarily diurnal, which explains the choice of the word "lark" for people who may sleep from around 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. Larks tend to feel most energetic just after they get up in the morning. They are thus well-suited for working the day shift
Shift work
Shift work is an employment practice designed to make use of the 24 hours of the clock. The term "shift work" includes both long-term night shifts and work schedules in which employees change or rotate shifts....
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The opposite of a lark is a night owl
Night owl (person)
Night owl is a term used to describe a person who tends to stay up until late at night. Another name for a night owl is evening person.The opposite of a night owl is an early bird, a lark as opposed to owl, someone who tends to begin sleeping at a time that is considered early and also wakes early...
, someone who usually stays up late and may feel most awake in the evening.
In several countries, early birds (larks) are called "A-people" and night owls are called "B-people". Researchers traditionally use the terms morningness and eveningness.
Prevalence
Discussions and studies about the prevalence of morning, evening and indifferent or intermediate chronotypeChronotype
Chronotype is an attribute of animals, including human beings, reflecting at what time of the day their physical functions are active, change or reach a certain level...
s use different criteria and come to different results. Some ask what time people do go to sleep and wake up—others ask what time people would prefer to. A survey of over 400 adults showed approximately 15% morning people, 25% evening people, and 60% intermediates.