I’m definitely a morning person and by that I mean I’m more productive in the daytime. I used to wake up with the Hawaiian sun shining through my bedroom window. (Doesn’t that sound like something out of a Disney cartoon!) I didn’t own an alarm clock until I moved to the Mainland (or Continental U.S.).
When I lived in (cloudy) Eugene, Oregon, I got depressed, but it took some time to figure out that I needed more light. I was used to keeping the lights off in an effort to save electricity. It took some time to appreciate the overcast skies of Oregon. But I’m one of those people that starts to get annoyed if the skies are cloudy for days…
I’m not an early riser, but I know that I’m more creative and alert with the sun. At night, I want to get in bed and read a book (which I do every evening). I love reading in bed. I’d read in bed all day if I didn’t like moving around, cleaning the house, cooking, and that sort of thing. I guess I’m too practical (and antsy) to just sit down all day.
On the other hand, the BF is undeniably a night owl. When I’m bedding down, he’s getting started. He’ll do all sorts of things like work on art, exercise, practice Thai (or whatever language he’s learning at the moment), or watch a movie. There was a time when he was up until three or four in the morning, which to me is insane.
I can barely stay awake when I go out at night with friends. I’m yawning when everyone else is ordering their next drink. If I know I’m going out then I try to nap during the day. Yes, I have to prepare myself! Everything feels different and I laugh over the fact that I’ve been known to say things like, “Wow, so this is what this place looks like at night!”
The BF argues that everything is quiet at night so he can get some work done. I know another night owl that says its cooler so he can go out without bursting into flames or searing his tender Canadian skin.
When I was living in Portland, Oregon, I worked for a popular retail company during the graveyard shift. This meant that I started work around two or three AM, sometimes, four, it depended on how much unloading we needed to do. We were a diverse group: moms and dads trying to make extra money, uni students, and our manager was a gay vampire. (This is Portland, after all…)
Everyone got on well. I think because it was shitty work, stocking the shelves and unloading trucks, so it didn’t matter what color, gender, or age you were – we obviously needed the money. I liked the job and I liked the people, but I couldn’t do the night owl schedule, so eventually, I had to quit. My body rebelled. It felt unnatural to go out when it was dark and go to bed when everyone was getting up.
Now, in all honesty, I don’t do well under the other extreme either. When I had to teach at six AM in Siem Reap, my body and brain wasn’t too pleased with that either. But when I was doing contract archaeology in my twenties, a long commute, and starting at six wasn’t a problem. I mean, I was tired and one time I accidentally hit the trailer I was living in with my car as I was backing out, thereby shearing off my side view mirror, but you know, I don’t remember it being such a grind.
What about you? Are you an early bird or a night owl?
Life, the Universe, and Lani 
Love these polling thingy! Might do it on my blog sometimes. Now, we r a complete opposite. Grey sky makes me happy and I thrive at night times. The only time I tolerate waking up before 7 as an adult is when I have to travel (for fun, not work). Saying that, with age, I more like a pet owl (staying at home instead of exploring the wilderness).
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I feel like since I’ve moved abroad I’ve met more night owl types. I think because folks out here are more likely to be living away from a traditional 9-5 lifestyle. It could also be I’m more aware of similarities and differences.
Yeah, it just bugs the crap out of me if the skies are not blue and bright. Heh, heh. If it’s cloudy for more than one day, I’ll notice. I know I shouldn’t complain when I’m in a tropical place, but my mood is definitely affected by the weather.
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Definitely a morning person 😊 I like too much breakfast 🥞 😋💕
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Ahhh, good point! Although night owls could argue that you can make breakfast at any time. I’d agree that going out to a nice greasy spoon is what mornings are for 😛
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I am 100% a night owl. On weekends and days when I don’t have to work, I got to bed at 2-3am and get up around 10am-12pm. My body just feels right waking up and sleeping at these hours. That said, I do like sunlight and love summer nights when the it’s still light outside at 9.30pm. I do like sun, don’t mind a bit of a tan either. I could so live in a place that has sunlight 24 hours a day 😀
That said, like you, I can rise early. I rise around 5.45am each morning for work. My body hates me for it but gets on with it. Still when I get home on these work days, my body starts winding up from 7pm onwards 😀
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Yeah, when I was doing a little reading on this, I noticed articles saying there might be a bit of the ‘work schedule’ influence that forces us to be 9 to 5-vers. So I wonder if I’m a true morning person, but I think I am.
I suppose not all night people will hate daylight, so that’s a good point. Climates and weather can certainly change a person, too. Perhaps you are the best of both worlds, Mabel!
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I’m a morning person in the sense that I’m most productive and motivated in the early hours, but getting up is a FEAT. I would rather stay in bed until noon, but that life is long gone (the joys of aging and oh yes, having a dog, lol). If you would have told 20-something me that I’d be rising at 5AM (willingly, mind you), I would have scoffed and proclaimed, “never gonna happen!” But look at me now. I have a tough time actually getting out of bed, but once I’m up, I’m good to go. I love the peace and quiet of the morning and thoroughly enjoy my daily morning jaunt around the neighbourhood with my dog (and I think she loves it too because she doesn’t have to deal with scary humans lol). Funny enough, I prefer overcast to sunny because like your friend, I too have tender Canadian skin.
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Overcast is nice for walks. I like how flowers and colors POP when the skies are softer. It’s also more bearable during hikes.
But I think of overcast and drizzly weather as wishy washy. I want blue skies or thunderstorms – damn it. Hahahaha.
I’m sure if I had pets or children that would change my routine up, boy howdy! But like you, I enjoy the quiet mornings.
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Wow, this post could have largely written by me (although your writing style is much nicer to read for sure):
“But I’m one of those people that starts to get annoyed if the skies are cloudy for days…” – I’m German but largely due to the weather I try to be in countries like Thailand or Mexico as much as possible. For career reasons I temporarily returned to Germany for a while, but honestly, Germany, what is this??? One week just rain without any sun?! Thailand, my applications for another work visa are on the way…
“I love reading in bed. I’d read in bed all day if I didn’t like moving around, cleaning the house, cooking, and that sort of thing. I guess I’m too practical (and antsy) to just sit down all day.” – Ooooh yeees – sometimes I wished I would be a bit “more lazy”, because there are so many great books to read. But then again not moving around at all doesn’t feel too great either and I simply love sports too much… and cooking, and going for groceries, and…
“I’m yawning when everyone else is ordering their next drink. ” – Totally me. And then I return home and suddenly I’m awake again and read another two hours cozily cuddled into my bed’s blanket.
“the BF is undeniably a night owl. When I’m bedding down, he’s getting started. ” – Dito with my GF. In daily life I do not care too much, but it is quite annoying if I need to get up one hour earlier than I would need to just to get her up if we need to catch a morning train / plane and also our itineraries during holiday require quite a bit of compromise, since we basically have to “cut off” the morning and the evening part. Didn’t think that different sleeping patterns can have such a huge influence…
Great post, as always- thank you so much!
Regards.
Fabian
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“I return home and suddenly I’m awake again and read another two hours cozily cuddled into my bed’s blanket” – YASSSSS. The day doesn’t feel right or complete without a good read in bed.
Travel schedules! Ugh. How could I forget that one? The BF has to compromise when we travel. It’s tough for him because in the evenings he wants to do stuff, but we’re just in the hotel and ready to relax because of me. So I have to compromise a little by staying up later and watching movies 😛
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i’m definitely a night owl! at night is when i have the creative energy to write or draw. but now i’m a parent of a toddler and i don’t sleep well at all.. so i haven’t been writing much but i do sketch from time to time. i admire the assertiveness and lack of procrastination in morning people though,wish i had that!
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I hate procrastinating…dude. I’m one of those folks who likes to get up and get stuff out of the way so I’m free to do what I want. Not a last minute person either nor do I liked being rushed – big pet peeve.
But yeah, being a parent with a toddler would be tough on any kind of person. I’m glad you are finding time to sneak in drawing. I hear it gets better when the little ones start to sleep through the night. xxoo
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I honestly don’t know. It’s like it varies by day or season or what job I have or what I ate. Some days I’ll bounce out of bed raring to go and full of creative energy and get stuff done early and it’s awesome since that’s what we’re “supposed” to do and all, but other days I get up and it takes an hour just to feel cognizant. Those days I end up doing most of my personal creative work in the evening, because I don’t ever stay up late. I stay up until midnight reading or gaming every now and then, but being up past that messes with my sleep schedule and makes me feel icky. But I often find myself with a second wind around 10pm, so I’ll do an hour of work or something and then I’m done. Just flat done. It’s odd.
Learning to work within those varying parameters has been hard too, since I can’t find a steady rhythm to write in. I write every day but it’s rarely at the same time. I’ve learned to let go of the need for consistency, and I’m just happy to be writing.
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Hmmm. Hard to say. You might be “trying to figure it out” and experimenting OR you might be just that way. When I was much younger I definitely tried pulling all-nighters for tests, drinking coffee all day, or other crazy things that my body didn’t like. But that’s okay. I figure it’s better to branch out and all that anyway, any day.
Work definitely dictates my schedule and I certainly start to stay up later when I have free time, but I generally can’t go to the extremes. I hate feeling like I’m wasting time.
Yeah, the only writing time that’s consistent is morning journaling with coffee.
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While I don’t function well once the sun goes down (I also need naps if I have a night event), I hate waking up early as well. I think 8am-2pm is my most productive time!
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Yeah, I rarely wake up early and feel great. But then again, I rarely wake up feeling refreshed. I don’t think I get good solid sleep so I sleep as much as possible at night.
It’s taken me a while to appreciate naps. I’d sleep too long or too little and feel groggy. But these days I’ve come to accept that I don’t wake up well. Unlike some folks who seem chipper and alert upon waking.
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When I was studying for my university admission exams I noticed I remembered things better when I studied in the morning. Maybe because my mind was “empty” as nothing had happened during that day yet to fill my thoughts…
I would say I am a morning person BUT omg getting up is so so hard. Because I work from home and no one sees me, I’ve been getting up at 9 for years, hahaha.
I’ve definitely never been a night owl. When I was in college and we went out at night I was super sleepy by 12… also helped by the fact that I didn’t drink so partying was never really my thing!
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I understand. I, too, can really let myself sleep in and I don’t like getting out of bed. I’m no Snow White waking up with a smile and birds singing around me as I make my bed. Hahahaha. Actually, I can sleep a lot – it seems my body needs it.
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Definitely a morning person. I like to watch the sun rise. But that obviously means that I am in bed early, which is great, as like you, I love reading in bed. Thank goodness I have a husband who has the same rhythm, as I would have struggled to be married with a night owl.
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We’ve learned to have separate bedrooms. I can’t remember what it feels like for him to crawl into bed after I’ve been dead asleep. We’ve done it, for sure, but it’s been years.
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Hi Lani!!
This was a fun post to read and compare myself with you and your readers.
Oh my gosh, I am with you on the nonsense of living in a place like the Pacific Northwest. Being born and raised in that part of the world and experiencing weeks of cloudy/rainy weather is simply nasty, depressing and loathsome. I lived for a couple of years in my twenties in Seattle without a car, having to take multiple buses to work in the cold, sad, unforgiving wet gray. The weather was the primary reason that we left Cuenca, Ecuador too. Somehow the gloom seemed even worse there than in the PNW. No mas, por favor, no mas!!!
I feel that you left out the third and possibly most interesting category of people: Rock Stars!! Being a Rock Star is sorta one of my dirty little secrets. For example, today I was feeling extra energized and full of vigor so I us up and moving by 230pm. The sun was shinning and I felt great!!! It probably helped that I went to bed and hour or so early “last night” at a little after 400am. My husband, Mike, seems not to mind my Studio 54/Saturday Night Fever schedule. He and the dogs have a quiet, rich and seemingly interesting life of their own in the morning. I choose not to participate or interfere with whatever the creatures of the morning are up to. Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell. Don’t Care.
Oh, but one area that you and I absolutely agree is: I want the sky brilliantly sunny or very dark, foreboding, dramatic and loud with brilliant flashes of light.
This is just the way us Rock Stars like it!!!
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Hahahaha. Yes, you got me, I left out Rock Stars. How could I have overlooked them? 😉
I love your references (Studio 54, etc.) and vibrant language. Sigh. I could never be such a rock star. In fact, I don’t know how you do it. I suppose a part of me envies that lifestyle because of the strange and interesting things that go on during off hours. Oh myyy.
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Love this post, I’m definitely a morning person too! Ever since I was little, my body just naturally wakes up early – although we did used to have a rooster that like to sound the alarm at early hours in the morning haha!
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Ugh! No more roosters for us. In Thailand, they cockadoodle-do at all hours of the day, incessantly. They’ve been known to drive some foreigners craaaazzzyyyy. Thankfully, I don’t visit my family in the country that often. Hahahahaha.
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Great post. You and BFF are like myself and my partner. I am the early bird and he, the night owl. He’s watching tv, working on some financial modelling or whatever until 2:00 am or later.
If I don’t cycling by 10:00 am on warm weekends, I feel my day is partially wasted already. 🙂 He prefers to go cycling after noon. So I’ve been the um…pusher.
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Hahahaha. Yeah, I know what that’s like. We compromise with errands and going out for the day. I’d leave much earlier if it wasn’t for him. I think, like you, I want to get stuff done so I feel like I’ve accomplished stuff and also so I don’t have it hanging over my head. I am not a procrastinator that’s for sure. Sometimes I have to remind myself that not everything is open or ready when I am. 😛
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By the way, teaching @6:00 am sounds painful. I like waking up and doing stuff early….for myself only.
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I like getting up and doing stuff. I’m not one of those get up and read. That makes no sense to me. I have to move around.
Yes, having to be a work that early was – horrible.
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I used to be a night owl; now I’m an early bird. I think the infographic is correct: when I was a night owl I was sharper, got into more unique and experiences and got into more trouble. Since I moved to Thailand I’ve started getting up before 6am so that I can enjoy the cool mornings. I am pretty tired by 8 or 9pm and go to bed early. No one should be out from about 9am until 4pm in Bangkok though – it is too hot!
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Probably in the middle for me…Matthew walkers ‘why we sleep’ talks about this in some detail. Fascinating topic.
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I’m fairly certain I shared that video in a previous post. I agree!
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Why we sleep…is a book. He has a few interviews around as well.
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Okay, will check it out, thanks!
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Welcome. Think he did a talk at Google as well..but that book really is excellent
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Very interesting post on a topic that is very relevant to what type of people we are. I am a night person by nature and love the quiet of the night and am definitely more productive and energetic when it’s dark. However, living here in tropical Sri Lanka as we currently do (for the past two years or so) the birds are SOOO loud in the morning that I am awoken way too early for my natural rhythm. I feel like you feel at night… so THIS is what’s its like in the early hours!!
I do enjoy the early mornings, and use them mostly to go out and water my plants, as a form of meditation with nature before the day kicks in. But the hard part is that I am now exhausted by 9.30 at night, and my natural desire is to stay up later…. I have to go to sleep by ten or I literally cannot function the next day what with this early morning rising!!
I can’t nap during the day, so I have a few sips of coffee in the morning (and I am NOT a coffee drinker) but just to be able to stay up past dinner… So now I am experiencing the other side of the coin and it is an interesting experience, but I DO love sleeping in!!!
Peta
nice to find your blog…. via another… 🙂
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