You know you are a night owl when it's not so strange to....

[cateycloggs]

Having been over stimulated by talk of night mowing on another thread I thought I'd see what over night owls really love about the night hours. I find At this time of year the smell of the night air can be as intoxicating as strong drink. Relecting on that I've realised it's always been the case with me since I was a young child I have postponed sleep and felt better and better after midnight. I have been watching TV tonight but often sit in silence just enjoying. Though now I can hear a wee bird starting to sing.

So I don't think it is strange to want to go out and garden in the night. What else is not so strange?

Sometimes I go for a walk right in the middle of the street when there are no cars or people around. It does feel fresh to just walk. I woke up quite abruptly at 3am but won't get up to much else, possibly a shower and put a wash on. You?

I used to like walking in the night fog.

In the lockdown I was taking 3am drives, listening to audiobooks, when insomnia hit.

@RickiTarr

I used to like walking in the night fog.

In the lockdown I was taking 3am drives, listening to audiobooks, when insomnia hit.

That's what I was remembering. I used to visit friends and often walked home at 2 or 3 in the morning. It is such a sensual experience when the air is warm and the scent of the horse chestnuts is so strong or when I lived by the sea, the moon shone over it and the waves slapped against the shore. Or the feeling of rain on your skin and the smell from the earth. Who would not prefer that than the all revealing light of day? though now I don't actually go out myself that's why it memory.

@Frownette

Sometimes I go for a walk right in the middle of the street when there are no cars or people around. It does feel fresh to just walk. I woke up quite abruptly at 3am but won't get up to much else, possibly a shower and put a wash on. You?

I previously mentioned I have been watching a Scottish army men in kilts drama, there has been a death off screen and Alec Guiness has been forced to face his inadequacy as a man and an officer. The End. I love a drama. I have just ssen the time and may betray myself by going to bed soon. It is dawn's early light after all.

Yes I’m a bit physically compromised, now, so I don’t really walk for fun these days.

If I could make work for a semi-nocturnal pattern, I would, but no chance ATM.

And Hi Frownette and RickTarr, I don't know if it's the done thing to thank people when you have started a thread and they join in but thanks for coming. I do often feel I have made some faux pas on Mum's Net, not quite sure of the etiquette or just not interesting enough. so it's nice to meet some fellow night owls even if we are now risking sunlight exposure.

I was born fairly northerly but have been wondering if I might have been a natural Scandinavian in another life, land of the Midnight Sun and all that. I don't know why but it seems to me that enjoying the night for itself is a more northern thing despite so many holiday makers enjoying outdoor nightlife in Mediterrenean countries On my few excursions abroad I was often asked if I was scandinavian, Danish or German. Nobody thought I was British even though I was speaking English like a native.

Maybe Viking DNA?

Thanks for starting the thread.

@RickiTarr

Yes I’m a bit physically compromised, now, so I don’t really walk for fun these days.

If I could make work for a semi-nocturnal pattern, I would, but no chance ATM.

It's more a matter of realising the dangers out there and also actually being comfortable in my own home. For many years I had to live in circumstance where I felt safer outside so now I apppreciate my own company in my own home. but I have got lazier and fatter so what came naturally is now a big effort.

I wonder if other peole here had the strong urge to push sleep backfrom a very young age? I mean like 4 or 5 I can remember just not wanting to go to sleep even thogh I love sleeping itself. That is quite apart from the insecurity I mentioned before. Part of it I feel like a different person when I wake up and it takes ages to feel like myself - I mean 10 to 12 hours so i never want to begin the process again by sleeping.

Ah well it’s good that you’re settled now.

I think some people are just outliers in terms of bodyclock. Sometimes trying to fight it too hard makes it worse.

Morning all ! I'm an early to bed type (8pm), and wake about 4am, 5am the latest. At the moment, I have a sleeping granddaughter and OH, and I can't get up as I'll disturb them! Yesterday at 4am I walked the dog. That was nice and he seemed to enjoy it! He's not been wanting to go out during the day because of the heat, so early morning is great for him.
I don't think it's strange to clean my kitchen at 4am or make a lasagne. Or put a wash on. It's great having an early start.

Yes I agree so it's nice to chat to others. I've always been met with impatience when trying to talk about enjoying the night though i know from reading many do prefer the night. I have never tried to fight it but obviuosly had to adjust to normal patterns when working and getting up early which probably made me physically healthier. But i still felt deprived.

You see I don't even think all the references to doing stuff in the middle of the night are weird. Though I know it can be annoying if disrupting others ' sleep. And I do hate being forced to hear other people's music.

I'm an insomniac - it's quite normal for me to be doing a full house clean ( including doing the washing and hanging it out) at 3am.

@cateycloggs I haven't seen anything with Alec Guinness in for ages! I know someone who really reminds me of him. I ended up watching the rest of SATC2 in the end which was quite fun

You can really notice how early it is when it gets light (in England) now, I've been meaning to turn the sidelights off for about half an hour. Nice to chat to you at night anyway :)

@Amdone123

Morning all ! I'm an early to bed type (8pm), and wake about 4am, 5am the latest. At the moment, I have a sleeping granddaughter and OH, and I can't get up as I'll disturb them! Yesterday at 4am I walked the dog. That was nice and he seemed to enjoy it! He's not been wanting to go out during the day because of the heat, so early morning is great for him. I don't think it's strange to clean my kitchen at 4am or make a lasagne. Or put a wash on. It's great having an early start.

Morning Amdone123, there's the voice of morning cheerfulness. Doesn't the dog wake up anyway? I mean and want to go out? That reminds me I haven't seen my cat for hours. There's the distinction I think a night owl would have cooked and cleaned from midnight on as I have in the past and often washed clothes etc but getting up from sleep to make lasagne! What time do you eat lunch? with such an early start? I am actually drooping now so forgive me if my response drops off. Definitely time for my bed, my grammar and spelling have gone put. Anyway hope you have had a good half day so far! and enjoy the rest of it.

Erm, OP, I think the lack of sleep is confusing you geographically. At least half of Germany is further south than then UK and the Northern part is approximately the middle of the UK. Denmark is at a similar latitude to the north of England and Scotland. The UK is most definitely considered part of Northern Europe.

[quote Frownette]@cateycloggs I haven't seen anything with Alec Guinness in for ages! I know someone who really reminds me of him. I ended up watching the rest of SATC2 in the end which was quite fun

You can really notice how early it is when it gets light (in England) now, I've been meaning to turn the sidelights off for about half an hour. Nice to chat to you at night anyway :)[/quote]
They seem to show a lot of his films on the channels I watch. they were showing The Ladykillers last night but I missed the beginning so I skipped it and will watch it when it comes round on the loop they seem to use. Have you seen It? The old one with Guiness and Peter Sellars and the wonderful old lady. Not the modern remake with Tom Hanks, never ever watch that , believe me you'll be scarred for life, I have so you don't have to.

Sorry I don't think I know what SATC2 is? It sounds like I should but it doesn't ring a bell. It's true about the light, it really wasn't ever truly dark last night. I was going to make a comment about enjoying the night seems different where you have long twilight as opposed to countries were it gets dark at 6 or 7 always and instantly, that's it, no questions asked day is day and night is night. Of course people still have their lives at night and maybe even more so outdoors.

I have just heard our rubbish being collected so now we are really into the clash of cultures. I can hear the birds tweeting which does make me feel a bit guilty as I can barely keep my eyes open. This weekend I have promised myself to get organised and sort out my garden containers but even I think I should try to do it in daylight.

@FloconDeNeige

Erm, OP, I think the lack of sleep is confusing you geographically. At least half of Germany is further south than then UK and the Northern part is approximately the middle of the UK. Denmark is at a similar latitude to the north of England and Scotland. The UK is most definitely considered part of Northern Europe.

Well you are probably right just a nonsense theory. It make no sense to go about enjoying the night in the longest days of the year. But I did say other people thought I was from somewhere else. I was going to add my story about seeing the Northern Lights at dusk in February in the Midlands but nobody believed me then so I won't.

Morning all.

I'm not so much a night owl as an early morning person. I have always found early morning the best time to get things done.

Good morning to you all! I read bits of this in the middle of the night when I couldn’t sleep. I am the same - betraying myself by going to bed. I love those moments after midnight.

When DP is away, I lose all the cues for bedtime and other behaviours (I have ASD, maybe connected) and really start to appreciate the earth & its smells through the night as dawn breaks. Sometimes I get very productive and by the time he emails me “good morning” at 10/11/12, I will have pretty much had the equivalent of a day.

Have always been like this! I hated going to bed as a kid. I can’t work out if it’s that I like those heady, late summer nights or the dew-ridden warm, birdsong mornings more. Probably just both!

I love the thought of Alec Guinness movies through the night!

@cateycloggs I’ve seen the northern lights in the U.K., I believe you! Saw them in Bucks, once! Have also seen them abroad and they are magnificent. They belong in this thread, thank you for discussing them.

I’m an early bird. Was awake at 2 this morning because of a noisy motor bike. Been back to sleep but I’m normally up by 4/5.
Knackered by 8 at night though.

If I wake up around 4 I'll scroll through Twitter and Mumsnet, play with Picrew and play The Walking Dead until about 5.40 when I have to get up.

[quote JohnSteinbeck]@cateycloggs I’ve seen the northern lights in the U.K., I believe you! Saw them in Bucks, once! Have also seen them abroad and they are magnificent. They belong in this thread, thank you for discussing them.[/quote]
Good Morning John Steinbeck, I never thought I would say that, life has not been in vain. Well ours weren't quite as magnificient as the Real North, but Bucks is quite far south isn't it if that's not overstretching my geographical skills. It was strange but they did persist for quite a time so not the sunset though that can have a greenish hue at times.
I've found the cat , opened the back door and he did his Olympic sprint down the back garden to get his breakfast. I just love his little paws when he does that but I am not sending him to Tokyo even if his country does need him. I've had my porridge but I find one effect of staying up is a raging hunger , will have to have something else now.

Oh and good Morning to all early risers and long suffering parents of young children, hope you all have a lovely day while I am doing my aged teenager act . I do hope I have not been too insufferable.

Oh and JohnSteinbeck, I loved your 'dew-ridden, warm ,birdsong mornings phrase. Touch of the Dylan Thomases there (and yes I am qualified to say, born and bred in Wales. University in Swansea, lodged in the Uplands) if that is not too fey for a manly chap like you. Ha Please don't tell me it is a quote!

Good morning, @cateycloggs, and everyone! Hope the rising went well. Productive one here, went for a little drive, got cash out, started laundry and dishwasher and moving various books and things around, plus life admin. Waking early leads to huge productivity some days!

Ha ha, glad you liked 'dew-ridden, warm ,birdsong'. Not a quote, it is mine. The dawn wakenings make me so creative. They bring out my poetic streak! Beautiful Wales. You are lucky to be in such a pretty place.

Yes! My aurora experience was not as magnificent as a different one I had in Scotland, but it was spectacular, nonetheless. I was a bit because we were flying out to see them in Iceland the next day! I did a clever KP index calculation in advance of booking that trip, so it's no wonder we saw them from the M40 Yes, greenish hues... When we saw them in Iceland (and Norway and Canada!) they were dancing and had other colours, too.

Your cat sounds very cute! I do like the wildlife around those going-to-bed/getting-up, dawn moments. Would love to be a cat then, all those little country mice, scurrying around!

Hope everyone also has a productive day! Love this thread!