Early risers naturally wake up early in the morning. Their body clock makes them do this while most of us are still in deep sleep. Researchers said early risers could have some DNA from Neanderthals – our ancestors from over 40,000 years ago. Neanderthals lived in northern parts of Europe and Asia. They woke up earlier to gather food as the sun rose. A researcher said it was better to have a body clock that could change to match the changing light of different seasons. He said a "faster" body clock makes people "more likely to rise early".

Scientists have wondered why some people are early birds and others are night owls. They looked at a database full of genetic information. People who said they were early risers shared DNA with Neanderthals. The research found many examples of Neanderthal DNA in the early risers. The effect of the Neanderthal DNA may be weakening as time passes. Our modern lifestyles mean many of us prefer to sleep in and not leave the comfort of our bed. Nevertheless, it may still be true that the early bird catches the worm.