Sleeping late

[Ritascornershop]

Is it unusual to sleep in till mid or late morning when well into adulthood? I’m middle aged, sleep terribly, and have always been an early riser. My sister (who doesn’t go out even pre-covid) stays up till about midnight and regularly texts me to tell me she slept till 11:00am or later on the weekend. In your early 20’s when you’re still developing physically and mentally, but by 60?

Is being able to sleep that late common? I’d love to get that much sleep so am not wild about hearing about her amazing sleep abilities!

Our parents were always up and active by 7:30 at the latest. She told me that when she lived away and got divorced her 3 & 5 year olds had to get themselves breakfast as she “could not wake up”.

Partly I’m being prissy, part envy, but mostly I’m wondering how common this is.

Not getting up and seeing to your 3 and 5yo is shitty behaviour.

Sleeping in til 11 with no dependents is bliss and, if possible, should be enjoyed.

Not unusual here. I go to bed when I like and get up when I like. Why should I fit in with other people's body clocks when I don't have to?

I used to before I had my daughter. Now I wake up at six regardless of whether I have work or not

Not getting up with young kids though!

Why doesn't she set an alarm that is beyond selfish.

Why do people bother to have kids if they won't do the best by them!!

I was quite shocked about her wee kids having to “get on a chair and fetch down the cornflakes”.

I’m just surprised after decades of having to get up for work by 7:30 that her body clock didn’t adjust to an early rising. And I’m dead jealous of anyone getting 11 hours of sleep a night when I get 7 if I’m very lucky (wake at 3:00, awake till 5:00, maybe sleep till 7:00 if I’m very, very lucky).

She said she “couldn’t wake up” but did wake up for work, so I think it’s more that she figured the kids could deal with it. She’s a great mum otherwise (though we lived very far apart when hers were little so not sure but I know she loves them to bits and does a lot for them during her awake time).

I do it frequently. Today I got up at noon

If my DH husband is away and my DD is at my mums I sleep till about ten.

I get up for a wee then go back to bed.

I know you're supposed to need less sleep as you get older but I don’t feel like I do. I'm 62 and feel my best on 9/10 hours, albeit broken. I'm retired so don't have to get up early but the years of child rearing seem to have permanently changed my sleep pattern.
The only way I could cope with child induced sleep deprivation was to go to bed at 8pm. To this day I am yawning at 8 and in bed by 10. I don’t get up until 8/9am though.
I haven't slept through though since 1995

I've been waking every night at ten to three.

It's annoying

Personally I've always been an (extreme) owl, and that's just the way my body clock is. So to me it would be perfectly normal to go to bed at 4am and get up at 11. I've never understood why being a lark is considered somehow morally superior.

My periods are fucked up, my sex drive gone, I'm a narky bitch.

I think I am peri menopausal tbh

@nancybotwinbloom

I've been waking every night at ten to three.

It's annoying

Oh god me too except I think it’s pregnancy. It’s SO annoying isn’t it?

I often do, if I can. Always have. It was bad enough having to get up early to go to work, on a day off or at weekend I never stirred before 11. Sleep is bliss. We in the UK do not prioritise sleep enough.

I sleep in until late morning given the choice. I have screwed up my body clock with shift work though.

Leaving a 3 & 5 year old to fend for themselves all morning until 11am whilst you’re in bed is neglect!

Jesus. She could have done what every other parent does, plonk a bowl of cereal in front of them and nap on the sofa whilst they watch cebeebies. It’s crap parenting but it’s better than neglect.

As a teen/early 20’s is often sleep in late but 23+ not a chance. At 27 I’m now a natural early riser, good job though as baby DS wakes at 5am every day

I wish I could, but I’m usually up by 7.30 at the latest, no matter what time I go to sleep!

It seemed neglectful to me, too, but she was quite righteous when telling me about it. Likely this sounds annoying, but I enjoyed making mine breakfast and that they’d wake up to the smell of waffles or pancakes on the weekend.

I just wish I could sleep better now, I never feel refreshed due to waking in the middle of the night and taking ages to fall asleep again.

I’m up through the week for work, but can easily sleep late at weekends - I tend to stay up later so it balances out. We don’t have children though.

One of us gets up to feed the cat, and let her out if she wants to go, but often the three of us (cat included) will stay in bed until midday. DP makes bacon sandwiches, we listen to music, chat, sex, doze. Lovely!

The idea of ‘early to bed, early to rise’ being the most ideal / productive has always irritated me too. I’m lucky enough to go to bed and get up whatever time I like and usually midnight-9am ish is what I end up doing. Doesn’t mean I couldn’t get up earlier if I had to...

OP it sounds like you all want us to tell you how awful your sister must be and what a great mum (up early making waffles) you are
Not being able to sleep more than 7 hours isn't a virtue you know

Dyed in the wool night owl here as well. Do my best work between 9pm and 1am. Ideally would sleep from about 2am till about 11am but the 9-5 means I spend my life in perpetual jet lag instead.

I slept midnight till noon as a baby. And so did my baby. Some things are genetic.

@Ritascornershop

It seemed neglectful to me, too, but she was quite righteous when telling me about it. Likely this sounds annoying, but I enjoyed making mine breakfast and that they’d wake up to the smell of waffles or pancakes on the weekend.

I just wish I could sleep better now, I never feel refreshed due to waking in the middle of the night and taking ages to fall asleep again.

I make pancakes at the weekend. Usually after noon as I don’t/can’t eat before then.

Where’s my medal?

Utterly neglectful if you have young children IMO.

Absolute heaven and definitely possible if you don't.

I said people would find it annoying that I enjoyed making their breakfast! But it’s no worse enjoying that than enjoying a lie-in, it’s not a competition. I said she seems a great mum in other ways, just the breakfast thing threw me a bit.