It's no secret a good night's sleep is important for your overall health.

There are plenty of studies to back it up, but different people have different sleep schedules.

Some prefer to wake early in the morning before the sun rises. Night owls, on the other hand, enjoy staying awake hours after the sun has set.

It all depends on a person's chronotype or their natural tendency to feel alert or sleepy at certain times of the day, and it turns out staying up late may have an advantage.

Imperial College London studied the sleep habits of 26,000 people. Researchers found those who are more active in the evening, scored higher on cognitive tests, things such as memory, reasoning and processing information.

The study also points out the importance of a schedule that follows the body's natural sleep cycle, but for many, that isn't possible.

A survey by My Perfect Resume found 94 percent of people work hours outside their chronotype.

Researchers say whether late to bed or early to rise, the key is to get enough sleep and that magic number is seven to nine hours of sleep each night for adults.

The study found getting more or less than that impacted brain function.