Early Birds Vs. Night Owls: Research Suggests One Is Healthier

PHILADELPHIA (CBS)--Whether you're used to getting up with the sun, or staying awake until the wee hours of the morning, new research suggests one group has the edge, when it comes to wellness.

"Early to bed, early to rise... keeps you healthy, wealthy and wise," said William Entrekin of Northeast Philly, referring to Benjamin Franklin's famous quote.

Now, researchers in Finland confirm what the inventor already knew.

Morning people tend to eat better and get more exercise than their late night counterparts, who according to this study, consumed more sugar and saturated fat in the evening hours.

"You come home from long hard day, I doubt you're going for the celery," said Byron Riggins of South Philly.

Researchers say there's evidence that our sleep patterns can impact our appetite and food choices, but they also found night owls were more likely to smoke and have difficulty sleeping.

So, what do they suggest? How about a tweak to your schedule?

"When I worked nights, I sure as heck wasn't getting up at 5:30AM," said Pamela Hardings of Washington, D.C.

The study's authors suggest a flexible work schedule that better supports the nocturnal clock. But, some say it's even more straight forward than that.

"You can definitely make a conscious decision to eat better no matter what," said Entrekin.