Few of us are true morning people who can effortlessly bound out of bed at five or six in the morning; likewise die-hard night owls who while away their lives in teh wee small hours and sleep entirely during daylight are equally as rare.

Researchers estimate that extremes on the bell curve comprise about 10 to 20 percent of the population, with the rest of us falling somewhere on the intermediate spectrum. And a rare few outliers at the extreme, extremes.

In fact, the majority of us prefer a common point in the 24-hour continuum: day time for activities and night time for sleeping. Shiftworkers, seniors, and teenagers aside.

Truth behind night owls and morning people