New research is out confirming the adage that "early to bed, early to rise makes Jack healthy, wealthy and wise".
Researchers at Roehampton University in London found that morning people - those who bound out of bed before 7am - are healthier, happier and have less body fat than those who crawl out of the scratcher just before 9am.
The study's authors put this down to the early risers being able to get chores done and children off to school with the minimum of stress, leaving them better suited to the modern industrial world.
They are more likely to have breakfast and enjoy a healthy diet, and if they have more time in their day they'll presumably be able to pursue leisure activities.
I have always worked nights and have a deep loathing of early mornings. When I've been training for marathons I've had to experience the odd early morning, and while I concede there's something satisfying about getting your exercise out of the way before the rest of the world is up, I've always felt strange being up at such an ungodly hour.
