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Original poster

Are you nocturnal too?

26 replies

overthinkersanonnymus · 15/01/2025 01:39

After years of trying to be a morning (or even a daytime) person, I am finally leaning in to being a night owl.

Don't get me wrong, i do wish I could be a morning person but I work better at night, I can clean at night and I feel like everyone is asleep so I have no demands on me at all. My time is just mine.

During the day I just feel knackered and cranky. I don't have insomnia because I could literally sleep the day away! Maybe my childhood fantasy of being a vampire is actually manifesting....

Does Anyone else prefer the quiet of the night? What do you like to do?

OP posts:
mumofoneAlonebutokay · 15/01/2025 01:46

I'm up at night but have realised that I'm the opposite. When I'm up during the night, the lack of daytime structure messes with me and I get all the dark thoughts. I just find myself watching tv and 'waiting for the day/to fall asleep

Dd is struggling with sleep and slept during the day today. Now she's down, I cant drop off!

As she's sen, I can take her to school tomorrow and explain and she will be able to nap. I do wonder if she's a night person as she's always always preferred being up at night

Maybe it's how you're wired. Some people like the quiet and the peace. Have you ever worked a night shift? Lots of people do prefer it

Hayley1256 · 15/01/2025 01:49

I'm not normally but just heard some noise outside my house and looks like a new neighbour has decided to move in at 1.30am - lots of curtain twitching going on from other neighbours on my very quiet street! I now can't get back to sleep as can hear them moving furniture around in their bedroom. If they wake my DD I'm going round there!

Hayley1256 · 15/01/2025 01:49

Sorry for the rant :)

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Sleep
wigsonthegreenandhatsforthelifting · 15/01/2025 01:50

I've always been a night owl. I'm old now but even as a student, I used to work late evening and into the night. I like it when it's quiet and everyone else is asleep. I am shit in the mornings and only start to come to life in the afternoon.

I even avoid scheduling work meetings where possible in the morning now, it's that bad! I hate it if I have to do a meeting in the morning! Ties in to with a chronic health condition I have which is generally worse in the mornings!

wigsonthegreenandhatsforthelifting · 15/01/2025 01:51

Hayley1256 · 15/01/2025 01:49

I'm not normally but just heard some noise outside my house and looks like a new neighbour has decided to move in at 1.30am - lots of curtain twitching going on from other neighbours on my very quiet street! I now can't get back to sleep as can hear them moving furniture around in their bedroom. If they wake my DD I'm going round there!

What an extremely weird time to move in!

Hayley1256 · 15/01/2025 01:53

wigsonthegreenandhatsforthelifting · 15/01/2025 01:51

What an extremely weird time to move in!

Show quote history

I know, I'm normally quite a relaxed neighbour too. Only sometimes a night owl, I do find I can be very productive during the quiet hours.

Original poster
overthinkersanonnymus · 15/01/2025 02:07

Ideally I'd like to go to sleep at about 3am, get up at 11am, do some day time stuff and then start work at about 8pm.

@mumofoneAlonebutokay never worked a night shift but I had dreams of being a midwife, and whenever I imagined it, it was always a night shift. Weird.

@Hayley1256 wtf! Even as a night owl, I'd be fuming about that. I want my night time to be silent!

OP posts:
FeralBeryl · 15/01/2025 02:09

I've given up trying now  I am perpetually knackered but it still can't get me to go to bed at a reasonable hour. I just lie there anxious so I'd rather be up doing fun stuff (without kids and OH underfoot)

wigsonthegreenandhatsforthelifting · 15/01/2025 02:11

FeralBeryl · 15/01/2025 02:09

I've given up trying now  I am perpetually knackered but it still can't get me to go to bed at a reasonable hour. I just lie there anxious so I'd rather be up doing fun stuff (without kids and OH underfoot)

I know, I wish I could just go to bed and fall asleep the way I used to, but I can't anymore!

Original poster
overthinkersanonnymus · 15/01/2025 02:14

FeralBeryl · 15/01/2025 02:09

I've given up trying now  I am perpetually knackered but it still can't get me to go to bed at a reasonable hour. I just lie there anxious so I'd rather be up doing fun stuff (without kids and OH underfoot)

I can't go to sleep at a reasonable hour, but I also can't wake up at a reasonable hour! I have to be dragged out of bed like a teenager

OP posts:
stayathomer · 15/01/2025 02:15

No not at all but watching screens too late and feeling sick has me awake. (Praying to fall asleep as tomorrow’s going to be tough!)

FeralBeryl · 15/01/2025 02:15

it's rotten, I come alive like I've been wound up about 4pm, I have to stop myself hoovering at 11pm because of the neighbours. I blame years of weird shift work but I was like this from a teen onwards. I've admitted defeat and now sit and watch TikToks about how early I'll die/develop dementia due to lack of sleep...

FeralBeryl · 15/01/2025 02:21

@stayathomer wishing you luck and strength for whatever you've got to manage tomorrow

wigsonthegreenandhatsforthelifting · 15/01/2025 02:30

overthinkersanonnymus · 15/01/2025 02:14

I can't go to sleep at a reasonable hour, but I also can't wake up at a reasonable hour! I have to be dragged out of bed like a teenager

Show quote history

I can and have been known to sleep into the afternoon... I am such a bad example to my adult kids!

Difficultwill · 15/01/2025 02:30

I am a bit the opposite. I go to bed fairly early and then up at about 1am after 4 or 5 hours sleep. I love my early mornings and get so much done.

DramaAlpaca · 15/01/2025 02:31

I am totally nocturnal, and always have been. I have unfortunately bred three nocturnal now adult children, who are just like me. DH is a lark, and fits in with the normal world, luckily for him.

I am supposed to turn up for work, bright and breezy, at 9. 30 am tomorrow. God help me!

I'd happily work from 11 to 7 if I could, but 9 to 5 just kills me. I'd prefer 12 to 8. I don't know why I'm like this, but it's my natural body clock and I've always been this way. I can't change it, but it's a struggle to fit in.

Original poster
overthinkersanonnymus · 03/02/2025 00:00

It's midnight.

Just opened the laptop to make a start on tomorrow's work because, for some ridiculous reason, I work so much better when I'm not supposed to be 😂.

OP posts:
Theresabatinmykitchen · 03/02/2025 00:11

I’m definitely like you OP, I really struggle with the 9 to 5 set up, fortunately now I’m older I only have to comply to those unholy hours for 2 days a week whilst I’m at work, once they are out the way I revert to my normal sleep pattern of 3am to 11am, I come alive after 11pm! Unfortunately my husband is the complete opposite he is an extreme lark, he gets up just as I’m going to sleep.

Mytholmroyd · 03/02/2025 00:34

Me too! I have also given up trying to fit in with everyone's expectations of 'normal' working hours. If I have a 9am class or meeting I usually don't even bother going to bed. Everyone's used to getting emails from me at 3am.

I just can't get any deep, constant sleep except between 5am and 11am - before that I just lie there fitfully dozing and not getting comfortable. It's very frustrating as I am often only going to bed when my husband is getting up bit I've tried everything - magnesium, valerian, melatonin, CBD, weighted blanket, grounding blanket, blue light filters, cold bedroom, complete blackout, sleep headphones with white noise/audiobooks etc etc but nothing works to make me sleep.

ffsfindmeausername · 03/02/2025 00:48

yep night owl here too and always have been since a teen. saw a programme on TV once where it did say people do naturally fit into either the night owl or lark category. I've always wanted to be an early bird lark but find it so difficult. I have friends that are in bed by 9pm more like 3am for me even if I have to be up early.

Simonjt · 03/02/2025 00:53

I’m a night owl and a lark, lucky me!

geekygardener · 03/02/2025 01:05

Hello my people I have finally found you.

I hate how my lark husband thinks he's better than me as he's up at 5am but in bed before 9.30pm most nights. People look down on people who sleep in the morning it's Bizzare.

I have a dd who is like me and one like dh. I can't wait till they are older and can fend for themselves and I can get a night shift job.

Mytholmroyd · 03/02/2025 02:14

There is judgement @geekygardener definitely!

I love going to the US on holiday because I can get up at 7am rested and bright as a button!

Time40 · 03/02/2025 02:17

I can't go to sleep at a reasonable hour, but I also can't wake up at a reasonable hour! I have to be dragged out of bed like a teenager

@overthinkersanonnymus Same! Here I am at after 2am, wishing I felt like going to bed.

DPotter · 03/02/2025 03:36

I'm like you - bedtime about 3am, up about 11am. I can get up earlier but I have managed over the years to find a job where I'm only required to be up and at work by 10 on one morning a week. It's annoys DP who is an early bird.

I firmly believe there are many people out there who think they are insomniacs, but actually are night owls trying to fit into early bird life.