Here's why people who struggle to get out of bed in the morning 'are more intelligent'

If you have trouble getting up in the morning – don’t worry, science has some good news for you: it’s a sign of intelligence!

A University of Southampton study has found that people who struggle to get out of bed once the alarm goes are more creative, happier and more intelligent.

Study authors Satoshi Kanazawa and Kaja Perina found that we're still best suited to sleeping how our ancestors did – going to bed early and waking up early the next morning.

But those of us who struggle to fit to this pattern are just revealing they've adapted best to modern life, said the study.

In plain terms this means: It takes a smart person to deal with the snooze button because it is a very recent invention that evolution itself has done nothing to prepare us for.

It also reveals that by listening to your own body clock, rather than the "rules" of sleeping, shows intuition and an ability to pursue our own passions and interests, which can make a person more creative and independent.

People the study calls "night owls" (because they go to bed after 11 pm and get up after 8 am) also had more income and a more comfortable lifestyle in general.

The study looked at the sleeping patterns of 1,229 men and women.

Unfortunately, this does not mean we should spend all our time in bed.

Previous studies have revealed that people who spend 12 or more hours in bed have a significantly higher risk of untimely death.