Being A Nightowl

I have to confess… I am a nightowl! (Really dramatic, I know)

But what does that mean?
Basically, just like an owl has a much more clear sense of vision during the night, I have a much more clear sense of productivity during the night, or more specifically, after the sun sets.

So when the rest of the people are going to bed or even asleep, I’m wide awake doing work/studying. And when everyone else gets up from slumber, I’m only starting to doze off.

To some people, this might seem strange and even slightly concerning, but actually, it’s way more common than an average person might think.
Studies show that almost 30 to 40 percentage of the population find themselves the most productive after 11pm (or 2300hrs.)

And no, by productive I do not mean endlessly scrolling through social media or binge watching movies/shows for the whole night. I actually mean concentrating and getting some serious work done. 

But

How does a person become a nightowl?

Well, firstly it isn’t exactly a lifestyle choice one can develop in a week or two.
According to some studies, our chronotype (which is largely influenced by genetics) determines what type of person – a nightowl or an early bird- one will be.

People with night time chronotype (or wolf chronotype) show more of nightowl tendencies (or ‘nocturnal’ tendencies)

So, it isn’t a choice for most people, sure, long exposure to this type of behavior and environment may change some people’s lifestyle. Or sometimes our chronotype might change as we grow older, but we can’t really change them ourselves.

For people who are genetically given these behaviours don’t really have a choice. They reach their maximum level of energy and productivity only after dark. They also find it difficult to focus and be active early in the morning.
According to studies, night owls show the most energy and activity (which is controlled by the cerebum) 4-10 hours after they wake up.

So if you find yourself constantly in a drowsy state during the day and super energetic and active during the night – then you might be a nightowl. (Welcome to the gang!)

Now, incase you are a nightowl (or just found out you’re one) and not very happy with the idea of being a nightowl, here are some

Pros to being a nightowl

• When you’re a nightowl and productive at night, you can actually get a lot of work done without even half of the distractions you might have during the day. (Nobody walking around you and disrupting your flow!)

• According to studies by numerous institutions, nightowls have shown to score more on IQ tests compared to early risers. Which basically means we’re smarter!

• People who are night owls tend to use lateral thinking more than early birds, to put it simply, we’re better at solving problems by using an indirect/creative approach and view such problems with a new light (Basically, we’re more creative).

Now that we have talked pros I guess it is only fair to talk about the cons as well.

Cons to being a nightowl

• Studies from many universities showed that people with morning chronotype were more physically active than compared to those with night chronotype and suggests that people who do stay up late and wake up late should try to keep themselves physically active.

• Even though night owls have an advantage when it comes to lateral thinking and intelligence, we’re also more likely to perform poorly in academics/work. This is because we have to function during our least functional hours i.e. typically an 8-4 or 9-5.

• Since nightowls are more creative, active and approachable during the night, they’re less so during the day, which is when a major part of society and our communities are up and about.
Trying to keep up with these people around us often leads to insufficient sleep, not to mention poor lifestyle habits and a general inability to adjust to ‘regular’ schedules. This can lead to a number of physical and mental health issues such as diabetes, obesity and even depression.

Now that we’ve covered that, how can you make your life a little easier as a nightowl?
So here are some tips, from one owl to another.

Top tips for nightowls

1) Accept yourself and set your routine such that it accomodates time for sleep. Atleast 5-6 hours. It might seem difficult, but with a little bit of planning you’ll be able to work all night and still get 7-8 hours of sleep.

2) Try to sneak in little naps between the day or even during your work sessions. Also, try to set a limit for yourself, tell yourself “I will not work past _”

3) While working at night , have a glass of water and some healthy snacks (like nuts and berries) next to you, it will stop you from eating junk and will kill the cravings.

4) Try to take atleast 5-10 minute breaks in between work to get up, stretch, fix your posture and just take a little walk around your walk area.

5) 20 minutes before your bed time/the time you set for yourself, stop all work. Read a relaxing book or listen to calming music, turn off all bright lights and all devices. Set the mood to calm yourself before going to sleep, that way you can ensure a peaceful few hours of sleep for yourself without waking up in the middle and having disturbed/rocky sleep.

6) If you generally have a 9-5 ‘routine’ and also work during the night, give yourself weekends or atleast one day of the week to get full rest and excercise. Also meet up with your friends and family to ensure your own physical and mental health.
Even during the day/night when you’re working,make it a point to take care of your health – physical and mental.

Having read all of this, know that it doesn’t matter if you’re a nightowl or an early bird or even if you have no idea of your strong and weak timespans , all that matters is you fit your work into your work whenever you’re the most productive and the most motivated to make changes.