People are meant to be creatures that thrive during the daytime. Unfortunately, some of us tend to be a bit more nocturnal, probably because we threw off our circadian rhythms far too long ago. Fixing our sleep schedules at this point would take months of adjusting. Should we try? Definitely. Will we? We'll see. Those of us who thrive off the light of the moon and the stars in the sky operate a little differently, and not just in our sleeping habits.
1. There's something therapeutic about looking up at the stars
People who stay up later get the pleasure of gazing upon the stars while the rest of the world is sleeping. Being a night owl and living in a small town free from light pollution is even more magical. A great study break for a late night thriver like myself is to take a blanket and some snacks outside and listen to music while looking up at the sky.
2. Four meals a day are a lot more logical than three
Breakfast is sometimes forgotten, but usually had a bit later than normal. Lunch and dinner, the meals most people don't skip, are followed by not the often discussed midnight snack, but rather the under-appreciated midnight meal. This usually consists of an insurmountable amount of chicken wings, or an entire pizza for yourself, because no one is awake to eat it with you. Can I get a "hell yeah?"
3. Our closest companions are other night owls
Naturally, we tend to be closer with the people we're around the most. Additionally, night owls share a special bond. "You're still up? Cool, come watch these 37 videos I found on YouTube procrastinating sleep." Unfortunately, it can be lonely and sometimes your closest frenemies are your pesky late-night thoughts.
4. Naps are a life saver
I shouldn't be sleeping at 3 p.m. on a Monday, but that doesn't mean I won't be. We also know how to sleep just about anywhere and exactly when our body NEEDS a nap.
5. Getting more than eight hours of sleep every night seems impossible
You've stopped doing the math for how many hours you'll get. You simply go to bed when you're tired, which seems to be never, and set 100 alarms for the next morning. This is totally healthy right?
6. 100 alarms are 100% necessary
If I have to leave my dorm room by 9:30 a.m., I need an alarm for 8:00, 8:15, 8:30, 8:45, 9:00, 9:05, 9:10 and 9:15 a.m. in the hopes that I'll wake up to at least one of them. Sadly night owls know the struggle of oversleeping every single one of them to wake up 30 minutes after the time that you had to be somewhere. Why doesn't anyone ever hold important functions at 2 a.m.? I'd be the most prepared one in the room.7. Social media goes dead around 1 a.m.
Checking Twitter at 3 a.m. is the WORST. There's nothing new and you have to put the phone down and do something productive when you've been doing so well at being productive since 10 p.m.
8. Forgetting that normal people won't be up, you text them
Me: "You up?"
Them: *crickets*
Me: "Ugh, I wonder if I did something wrong, are they ghosting me, what if I'm being annoying?"
*Checks clock*
"Ah, yes 2:15 a.m. there's a slight chance they may not have read this since there's a slight chance they may be sleeping."
9. Nothing good happens before midnight
Some people say nothing good happens after midnight. Some people say nothing good happens after 2 a.m. Those people are *shivers* morning people, and Ted Mosby.
10. Every late night person has their vice
A lot of nighttime people utilize coffee to their advantage when they have to be awake during the day. I personally like Dr. Pepper because it has some of the caffeine and none of the shakiness.
11. There is a love-hate relationship to be had with late night television
You know the feeling of cheering when Friends is on but throwing the remote at the TV when another infomercial session starts. Pathetically, you've probably even learned to love the infomercial.
12. Perfecting the tiptoe is essential
Because the rest of the world is sleeping and would like some peace and quiet to do so (bold right?) you've become a pro at sneaking around.
Trust me, if we could sleep easily, we would, but there's something about the dark that gets our brains unexplainably excited and they kick into overdrive. We're those crazy people that probably wouldn't mind working third shift in the future. Well, call us crazy, but we'll always be night owls.
