Cider Press Hill

Night Owl

I know I’ve mentioned this before, but life as a Night Owl can be difficult. Some of us, who are born with an opposing circadian rhythm—opposing the other half of the population who set the rules to live by—have a tough row to hoe if we aren’t careful.

Well, okay, I’ll speak for myself. Even my mother despaired when I was too young to know the difference between night and day. Night was my day and no one else in the house shared my schedule. At all. That has never changed. Natural rhythm is awake at night, asleep during the day. Energy levels peak somewhere around 2:30-3:00 in the morning. Of course, I can’t live that way. Except during vacations.

Over Thanksgiving it took exactly two days to revert to my natural cycle. I’m still paying for it. It’s so easy to slip into that schedule, but difficult to get back out of it. Unfortunately, my son is wired exactly the same way. With Christmas vacation looming, it will require a herculean effort to stay disciplined or we’ll have the only house in the neighborhood still lit up in the wee hours. And I’m not betting on the former.

Posted on 12/21/04 at 12:04 PM
 




N in Seattle

It’s a comfort to some of us anchored three hours to your west, that if we want to make a phone call it’s not considered impolite to call, say, at 8pm Pacific.  Or 9pm.  Later than that might (but only might) be untoward.

OTOH, when this fellow nightowl is at peak-level, even you would probably be sleeping.

PS.  I *will* get off my butt and buy EE ... really, I *will*.

United States   Posted by N in Seattle on 12/21/04  at  01:47 PM





Eleanor

As I’m sure I’ve said before, I can so relate, as can the teenager in the house.  Now that she no longer has to be at school in the morning we’ve been able to revert to our natural rhythm for the most part and what a blessed relief it is!  I’m not so sure that the early day shift worker appreciates passing his wife on the stairs at 5:00 many mornings, but it works for me! smile

Canada   Posted by Eleanor on 12/21/04  at  03:52 PM





Kate

It is so lovely to hear other like-wired people express the normalcy of night-owlishness. That it’s perfectly normal to be on the way to bed when the rest of humanity (in our respective time zones) is preparing to rise. It would be nice to be able to live that way all the time, but those morning people have a lock on the Rules of Living. I’m mindful of Benjamin Franklin’s sage saying—the one that has influenced generations, “Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise.” It’s thought to be a sage and moral saying —by other morning people. I simply love moving through the night. It’s my best time.

Whenever you’re ready, N. I won’t start pestering you about it until the day after Christmas. ;)

United States   Posted by Kate on 12/21/04  at  05:02 PM





terrilynn

I’m right there with you on the night-owl bench, and so is my five-almost-six-year-old son.  We are revelling in his being on vacation this week.  We slept until 8:30 this morning, which felt like a delicious treat. 

It’s a sad commentary on my usual world that sleeping until 8:30 feels decadent, isn’t it?  Ai yi yi.

United States   Posted by terrilynn on 12/22/04  at  04:44 PM





Kate

How come so many kids are getting this whole week off? Jeez, we feel cheated. Half a day of school tomorrow, then out until January 3. That’s a whole 10 days including the two weekends. When you’re a kid, weekends don’t count ‘cause you always get those off anyway.

Sleeping until 8:30 sounds wonderful. Wouldn’t it be great if we could do that every day?! But I think with the vacation coming up, I plan to take decadent to a whole different level. Without a shred of guilt. Mostly.

United States   Posted by Kate on 12/22/04  at  11:44 PM





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