How much sleep did you get last night? 4 hours? 6? 8? For me, the answer is almost always somewhere in between the 7 and 8 hour mark, even when I have to be up early in the morning. And I'm not trying to brag here--this is just a fact of my life. I will, quite literally, not be able to function properly the next day if I don't get an adequate amount of sleep the night before. Being in college, sometimes I feel a little outcast with my habitual 10:30ish-11 pm bedtime. While my peers are up doing whatever they do, some into the wee hours of the morning, I am sleeping. My body is a clock. If you are like me with a set, earlyish bedtime, here are some other things you'll relate to.
1. You cringe at the mention of an event starting at 10 pm or later.
Especially during the week, being out late is your worst nightmare. When someone schedules something to start late in the evening, that will go into the night and disrupt your bedtime plans, you aren't the happiest of campers.
2. When you are out late, you're sleepy.
If it's the weekend and you decide to stay up late, your body isn't quite sure how to deal with it. So, the later you stay up, the more you want to go to bed. Late night movies? You've slept through plenty of them.
3. You find yourself giving the "old person" excuse.
"Sorry, I can't go...I'm an old person at heart, I go to sleep really early...". People usually understand this, so it's a good way to explain why you like to go to bed so early. Hey, you can't help who you are.
4. Caffeine at night is your worst enemy.
One time I accidentally drank caffeinated tea at 8 pm and I couldn't fall asleep until past midnight. It was awful. (Wow, I really do sound like I'm 80 years old. Oh well). While many of your peers rely on caffeine-induced wakefulness to get things done, for you, it's just a thing that interrupts your beautiful sleep schedule.
5. You are probably a pretty heavy sleeper.
Especially if you live somewhere with other people staying up late (i.e., a college dorm), you're used to sleeping through hall noises and other things going on around you while you are out cold by midnight. Those noises and lights just don't bother you anymore.
6. If you stay up late for some reason, the next morning is instant regret.
Your body is so used to it's wonderful 7-8 hours, when you give it less than that, it's not pretty. For me personally, I am cranky, sleepy, and altogether just not pleasant when I get less than my usual amount of sleep time.
7. For you, mornings are not the worst.
It's pretty simple: if you wake up well rested and ready to go, you're going to have an easier time getting out of bed and getting your day started. I'm a morning person. I can usually wake up without an alarm. It's pretty nice.
8. Your brain doesn't work properly past 11 pm or so.
On the very rare occasions you're up finishing homework beyond your bedtime, your brain isn't doing its job. Your thoughts go fuzzy, and you simply cannot think anymore. Which is why, of course, you avoid late night homework at all costs.
9. People might hate you a little bit.
Even just writing this article makes me feel like the worst, braggy person ever. But what many don't understand is, sleeping is not a luxury for you--it's a necessity. But still, you're used to the jealous eyes people shoot you when you say you got a full nights rest.
I also realize that everyone's bodies are different and some don't need to go to bed early, they function just fine without the full 8 hours. But, for those of us who do need it, stay strong. Embrace your 8 hours and your early bedtimes. Don't excuse yourself an old person. Proudly live your life as a young adult with 8 hours of sleep under your belt. Don't succumb to the pressures of late-night living, and remember, you're not alone. Long live the early night sleepers.
