Another day, another morning of making my way downstairs blindly groping things because I’m essentially still asleep.
Not many people understand the plight of the night owl. People use that expression so loosely these days: “oh yeah, I’m a night owl, I like going to sleep late most nights”.
But there’s so much more to it than that. Only other night owls understand this however – the fact that it’s not wanting to go to sleep late but rather, an actual inability to get to sleep unless the sun is about to come up.
People used to say to me that I would grow out of it, but it never happened. What I suspected when I was younger has proven to be true: I am a night owl and it’s genetic, there’s nothing I can do about it. There are case studies to prove that being a night owl is an actual real ‘thing’ (not a figment of our imagination) and that we actually, really, function better at night – I’m not going to bore anyone with that, but it’s on the net if anyone cares to look for it.
So I’m not going to share scientific studies but this is light-hearted: http://time.com/3819347/11-reasons-night-owls-get-more-done/
I am not a fully functioning human being until noon, and I’m at my most awake – and performing best, once evening hits. It’s always been like that throughout my life and I’ve now accepted that it’s not going to change – it’s just the way I am.
It was John Milton who said: “what hath night to do with sleep”? A man who obviously understood night owls.
Last night, I was re-reading the passage in Lord of the Rings when Gandalf confronts the Balrog and I could swear that the beauty of Tolkien’s writing can only be fully appreciated after midnight (for me and other night owls).
โThe Balrog reached the bridge. Gandalf stood in the middle of the span, leaning on the staff in his left hand, but in his other hand Glamdring gleamed, cold and white” -Tolkien
Now I can read this in the morning and appreciate it, I can – but at night all the intricacies of this great writing leap off the page and come alive. At night, I totally get it – I could write an essay on the use of alliteration and other stylistic literary devices in the passage – whereas in the morning I’d be more likely to think it’s beautifully written and a kick-ass story…..butย I wouldn’t get much further unless I was seriously pushed. I’ve noticed that a lot (though not all) of night owls are creative people and bookworms too – there’s definitely a correlation there.
“It may be remarked that all bookshops that are open in the evening are busy in the after-supper hours. Is it that the true book-lovers are nocturnal gentry, only venturing forth when darkness and silence and the gleam of hooded lights irresistibly suggest reading? Certainly night-time has a mystic affinity for literature, and it is strange that the Esquimaux have created no great books. Surely, for most of us, an arctic night would be insupportable without O. Henry and Stevenson. Or, as Roger Mifflin remarked during a passing enthusiasm for Ambrose Bierce, the true noctes ambrosianae are the noctes ambrose bierceianae”.
~Christopher Morley, The Haunted Bookshop
All my best writing is done in the evening or at night. When I was a student, I was at my most productive at night time too. It’s tough for night owls because society is organised (necessarily, I’m well aware) in a way that favours early birds. This is why night owls can sometimes feel like they’re discriminated against, and I guess in a way they are – but they are great adapters and learn to cope with only a few hours sleep each night.
Yet, being a night owl is not all bad – mornings are difficult (hellish sometimes) but there’s something magical about looking out your window at 2am and seeing all those dark houses: everybody else is asleep while your brain is dissecting some piece of literature or coming up with great lines…..you feel alive and full of possibilities.
Then of course, while looking out the window, once in a while you find another light piercing the dark – and you wonder if it’s a fellow night owl out there. And you mentally send them good wishes. That’s another thing night owls are: caring. Really, if you stop to think about it, night owls are pretty amazing people.ย Thank f**k for them. Us.
Image credit: offcentredesigns.net and someecards.com
I love this!
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I’m so glad you do, thank you for reading ๐
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You’re welcome. (-: Keep up the awesome blogging, and if you get bored why not check out my blog? I write short stories and character interviews.
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This was great!!! I can completely relate.
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You’re a night owl too! It’s always lovely to meet another one ๐
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Yes, I am…..all my life. It is so nice to meet another night owl. Your post made my day!!!!
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Aw, that’s such a nice thing to say – your comment just made *my* day ๐
Let’s congratulate each other for both having the honour of belonging to that very exclusive “Night Owls” Club ๐
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Thank you for this morning smile because of this post!
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You are so very welcome! To know I brought a smile to somebody’s face is gratifying to say the least ๐
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I absolutely relate. I wrote a poem about it once. I could never get to work or school on time. That’s why I work for myself now. My husband is up before the sun, but I’m lucky to be fully awake by 10am!
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Yes, a lot of night owls end up working for themselves, I do too! I was also always late for everything – it takes me a couple of hours at least (and 2 cups of tea) to fully wake up in the mornings ๐
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Fun post.
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Thank you my lovely friend ๐
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I can relate to being a night owl. Sometimes I play this ridiculous game of avoiding tomorrow by making today last longer.
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Enjoyable reading… I am a night owl so as to say as well…
At the end I wake up each morning to work with awful dark circles… LOL
Anyhow, part of the vicious cycle involves long naps during the afternoon, so when night arrives you are already up, again…
Love and all the very best to you, pretty PurpleAnais. Aquileana ๐
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I know about the dark circles all too well ๐
Love to you too, you lovely breath of fresh air ๐
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I am also a night owl – without coffee I am a complete zombie. As far as I’m concerned, morning shouldn’t exist. ๐
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Yeah Iโm in this club. โOnly dull people are brilliant at breakfastโ
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Itโs the best club ๐
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Well your photos would increase membership if it existed.
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Haha I just posted my last pics of the year but sweet lord, there HAS been a lot of selfies – too many!
What do you mean IF it existed?! It does! ๐
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Ha! I’ve added you on Twitter for that ๐
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Oh no! I tweet a lot of political stuff – I think you might unfollow me soon enough!
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Well I’d better tweet some similar stuff to get your attention haha
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