It’s 11:30 PM, and I receive a message from a friend who has trouble sleeping, asking, “Why are you still awake?” For some, being up past 10 PM is a bizarre notion, especially among parents of young children. But you know what I find strange? Waking up at six in the morning just because you enjoy it. Staying up late is no different; it’s simply a matter of operating on a different internal clock.
I’ve been a “night owl” since childhood, cherishing weekends for the freedom to stay up as late as I wished. Many nights, I’d outlast my parents, absorbed in late-night TV. As I grew older, those tranquil hours became my sanctuary for reading or chatting with friends. Now, nighttime is my personal time to unwind.
Early mornings, in my opinion, are dreadful—not just because I’m more of a night person, but because they’re just hard. Ideally, I wouldn’t rise before 9 AM, and thanks to my self-employed status, I can often make that happen.
“But you’re a mom, doesn’t your child wake up early?” you might ask. Actually, no. My son is an even bigger night owl than I am. It took time to adjust his sleep schedule from staying up until the early hours to a more reasonable bedtime. However, he’s never been fond of that 6 AM life. On the rare occasions he does wake up early, we both find ourselves needing a nap soon after.
Now that he’s older, I can give him a snack and let him watch TV or play on his tablet while I sneak in a few extra hours of sleep. He knows to keep it down, and when I wake up, he beams, “I played quietly for you, Mommy!” Even his idea of early is late by most standards; he rarely stirs before 8 AM.
Nighttime is when I feel most alive. There’s something magical about tucking the world into slumber while enjoying the stillness. Fellow night owls understand; we just have a different perspective. It doesn’t mean we’re odd or nocturnal beings; we simply thrive at different hours. For me, the late-night calm helps clear my mind from the day’s stresses, allowing me to focus on what truly matters—usually my work.
During the day, my mind races with tasks that need completing. Did I pay that bill? When do I need to start dinner? But at night, I can set those distractions aside and concentrate. If I attempted to do that in the morning, I’d still be preoccupied with the evening’s chores.
I do sometimes find myself envying early risers—their ability to greet the sunrise with energy and enthusiasm. I recall my nephew, who once woke me at an unearthly hour exclaiming, “The sun is awake, so you have to be awake too.” I couldn’t argue with his reasoning, but I’d much prefer to witness the sunrise after a night of productivity. For me, early mornings make the day drag; I often find myself thinking, “How is it only ten? I feel like I’ve been awake for ages.” Conversely, at night, I can sit down at ten and suddenly it’s midnight, feeling as though barely any time has passed.
People often ask how I manage work and single parenthood so successfully, and my answer is simple: I stay up late. Those quiet hours allow me to be productive; my boss is used to receiving emails from me well after midnight, as that’s when I’m at my most efficient. By then, I’ve put the day behind me and can start preparing for the next.
That’s my secret: I accomplish tasks while the world sleeps. Sure, it means I sleep in the next morning, but I avoid the stress of juggling a million small tasks during the day, like grocery shopping and laundry. So no, I’m not lazy; I just operate on a different schedule.
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Summary
Night owls are often misunderstood; they thrive at different hours and can be just as productive, if not more so, than early risers. Embracing a night-centric schedule allows for focused work and personal time, dispelling the myth that staying up late equates to laziness.
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