Staying up late isn't something I'd categorize as a superpower or anything. But if I were it call it something, it definitely would be a benefit to my life. It's something I pride myself in because it makes me unique.
I'm extremely active at night, which allows me to get homework done, catch up on shows I want to watch, or even cooking a full-course meal. Whatever it may be, I feel more comfortable and free.
Even if you're not a night owl, I still encourage you to continue reading. Maybe someone you know is a night owl! These are some benefits as to why they are or why you should try it out sometime!
1. You're up when no one else is
While that might sound vague and simple, I feel like it's deeper. Being awake during the hours of the day when a majority of people in your time zone are asleep is crazy to me. You're one out of a few that are up and active.
2. Less distractions
One reason I love doing homework and being productive at night is that there are fewer distractions. If I'm in the library past 12, there usually aren't as many people there compared to the daytime, which allows me to stay more focused on the work I'm doing. During the daytime, the library or even my home can be a noisy and stressful place.
3. Observing the switch between night and day
If you're not an extreme night owl like me, then maybe you don't get to experience this. Whether you are or not, watching the sunrise and the overall change in sounds and visuals during the switch from night to day is almost magical. Compared to when the sun sets at the end of the day when the sun rises, the whole process happens very quickly, usually in 30 minutes to an hour. When the sun sets, that process can take longer.
It's interesting to observe the birds that don't make a sound all night, but once it hits 4 or 5 a.m., they start chirping. Or watching the color of the sky as it goes from complete darkness to pale blue and then a bright blue/white.
4. Doing things you can't normally do during daytime
For those who are night owls AND have social anxiety like me, nighttime is my prime time. It allows me to do things that I don't feel comfortable doing or can't do during the day. While I mentioned earlier that I can stay more focused and productive, I'm also referring to some crazy and weird things, too.
Since I live on a college campus, the streets are usually crowded with people during the day. Something I've always wanted to do was ride a bike freely around campus. I know that sounds minuscule, but it's something I can't muster up the courage to do around a bunch of people I don't know. Not to mention, there are very few people ride bikes at my school and the ones who do are guys.
So when nighttime comes around and I'm up late, as usual, having the freedom to ride a bike around an empty campus is extreme fun for me. It allows me to let go for a few hours and have a genuinely great time.
5. Creativity flows easily
As someone who is constantly creating, whether for a class or on my own, writer's block is a real thing. It's not always about writing, but whatever it may be, it can be hard to overcome. Most of my ideas and creative content flow through me when I'm up late. I don't have a clear explanation as to why this happens, but I don't question it either. It's natural and works for me!
6. Sleeping in
When sleep finally comes into the picture after staying up so late, sleeping in is one of the best parts. While it might seem wasteful for some to spend the whole morning, if not more, sleeping in, I don't see it that way. Sleeping during the day isn't a problem for me. It's nice knowing that even though it's daytime, AKA the time when everyone is up doing something productive, I am in bed sleeping. I get my work done at night, so it makes sense to sleep during the day.
While this is not ideal and I'll eventually have to switch up my schedule to adjust to normal work hours, I'm glad I was able to embrace sleeping in to its full extent.
7. Pulling all nighters may be easier
We all have those rare occasions during school or in the working world where you have to stay up all night to finish something or be prepared for the morning. I can't speak for early birds, but for a night owl, I can say it's easier to pull them off. Since I'm already up late, staying up and then some isn't too hard. Sure, my sleep deprivation will eventually get the best of me, but for the time needed to be alert and ready, transitioning from night to morning isn't a problem at all.
8. Peace and quiet
I love peace and quiet. I also love my alone time. Being a night owl, I get the best of both worlds. Some may be thinking, "Well what about the weekends?" when other kids my age are out partying or going out. While I understand that those things could be disruptive, it depends on where you live and on how late you stay up.
Since I'm usually up till 4 or 5 a.m., I usually don't run into that issue. As it gets later and later, the less noise there is. It's a nice time to reflect on the day, your thoughts and feelings, and whatever else goes on in that head of yours. Either way, the nighttime, in a way, reflects who I am as a person and I'm happy for that.
