Are you a night owl? If working late and sleeping in suits you best, here are at least four good reasons you can feel better about not being a morning person.
Poor night owls. Often maligned by their early to bed, early to rise “lark” counterparts, the 20% or so of the population who prefer to stay up into the wee hours and sleep later the next morning have to fight the misperception that they’re just undisciplined. Research at Northwestern University and University of California-San Diego has suggested that night owls may be genetically programmed to favor later bedtimes. But it’s hard not to feel envious of those who bound out of bed effortlessly at sunrise and brag about their 6:00 AM accomplishments.
If you’ve tried to reset your body clock and failed, or your job or circumstances keep you burning the midnight oil, try to look on the bright side. There are many benefits to the night owl lifestyle that you may not have thought of. Celebrate these unique advantages.
Shopping
At 1:00 AM, you’ll essentially have your entire local all-night supercenter to yourself, save the restocking crew. Crowded check-out lines and noisy toddlers are non-existent. Many department stores have “midnight madness” sales, and you’re likely to find less competition for bargains and more elbow room than at the Early Bird events. An added plus is the lack of traffic at that time of night.
Productivity
Larks tout their morning efficiency, but those who feel most alert at night can similarly capitalize on a burst of productivity. A night owl Mom can pack kids’ lunches, check the latest weather forecast and lay out appropriate clothes, throw in a last load of laundry, and leave a taped to-do list on the door for a spouse, saving extra minutes for coveted shuteye the next morning. Employees can review and respond to the latest emails, sending their lark co-workers tomorrow’s first messages in their inboxes.
Peace and quiet
After the kids are tucked in and the house is quiet, night owls kick in to high gear with activities requiring interruption-free focus that they’d be too exhausted to tackle earlier if they’d been up since the crack of dawn. Paying bills, reading, planning, and catching up on job-related or craft projects are easier when no one else is up and needing attention. This frees up mutually awake hours for dedicated interaction with family.
Dial up/log on
Night owls may find that late nights are the perfect time to get on the phone or computer and catch up with fellow owls. The kids won’t be howling in the background or competing for the keyboard. What else is easier well past dark? Your internet speed may be faster due to less traffic. Try contacting customer service departments (no endless waiting on hold), bidding on online auctions that end in Pacific Time when the East Coasters have gone to bed, or instant messaging international colleagues in other time zones.
If you’re still depressed about being a night owl, remember that you’re in good company: Winston Churchill and J. R. R. Tolkien were reportedly owls. Memorize Mark Twain’s 1864 quote, “Put no trust in the benefits to accrue from early rising, as set forth by the infatuated Franklin.” Take pride in Psychology Today’s 2006 report that night owls tend to score higher on intelligence tests. And don’t forget the secret coping strategy of many night owls: the all-important nap.
