Naturally Nocturnal Humans

I'm definitely one of the nocturnal too. Been that way since a child. Although-- I think in part it might be my mother's fault.

As a kid with asthma, my mother used to give me my asthma meds right before bed. Big mistake.
Theodur - side effect = INSOMNIA !
Alupent - side effect = INSOMNIA !
Prednisone - side effect = INSOMNIA ! And prednisone is the worst. If you get a high dose of prednisone as an adult, it will keep you awake for over 24 hours. Imagine getting it every night as a kid before bed.

I didn't really sleep. I'd lay awake in bed all night until the sun came up and then my mom would send me off to school. Luckily. It didn't effect my grades. They wanted to bump me up two grade levels instead.

As a teen - I took myself off all the asthma meds and FINALLY - real sleep! But I wanted to sleep during the day. Luckily in high school - roll call was taken during 2nd hour (not 1st). My first hour teachers didn't seem to care that I was absent. They'd just give me extra reminders to show up for the tests (which I got A's). However, I got into trouble for excessive tardies and excessive absenses for 2nd hour. Which made no sense because I had over- 100%. In fact, the jocks were complaining that I was in the class (Chemistry) because they claimed to the teacher that with me in the class getting 100% on every test that there'd be no "curved" tests. So at first the teacher gave me 100% for getting all the answers right and then if the next highest score in the class was 82%-- the teacher would make the 82% also worth 100% and curve the rest of the class grades. I said that wasn't fair that an 82% was being treated the same as my 100%, so the chemistry teacher started giving me 125% on the tests.

Anyhow, I got sent to the Vice Principal for excessive tardies and despite straight A's- the jerk actually tried to tell me that if I was tardy one more time that I would be expelled. Didn't seem fair considering the other two people in line in front of me-- one got caught with drugs in his locker (no suspension, no expell, just detention) and the other got into a fight (supposed to be grounds for suspension but he only got detention). So a girl with straight A's, on the honor roll, with a GPA above an A got threatened with expulsion for being tardy?!?!?!

So I gave the Vice Principal the bird to his face and told him I would change schools and another school would get my extremely high GPA to add into their scores--not him. Took a year off school. Then graduated high school in 3 years. The other high school allowed my excessive absenses as long as I kept showing up for the tests and kept getting A's.

College- usually signed up for afternoon classes. If I took a "morning class" it wasn't until 11 am. They don't take roll call in college - so most semesters I'd just get the syllabus at the beginning of each semester and only show up for the tests. Then I spent my "spare time" at the libraries studying whatever I felt like studying and researching.

Still nocturnal but I work for myself. I'll probably never have to be a day person.

I'm exactly the same way... it's nice to know there are other people out there. I used to live with my aunt and uncle and they would call me lazy because during the day i was tired and groggy and didn't fell like doing anything, but as soon as the sun went down i had tons of energy. Night time is now when i do all my chores and homework. I'm usually OK in school i have really good grades i just hate having to wake up early for school. Also, when i try to go to sleep i just sit there for hours. I've tried taking medicine but it doesn't work. The good thing is my mom is also the same way just not as bad as me, pretty much my whole family is but i just live with my mom so that's good.

I always at night. Wake up around 21.30 and stay up until 4-6 o'clock in the morning.

Night owl here which worked very well especially when I was doing long range reconnaissance patrols (see sig) in SE Asia an dintelligence work all over the globe.

I didn't notice anyone mention booze.

I have a night owl friend who, in order to work a "natural" 9-5 shift" took to taking amphetamines and drinking every evening until he fell asleep. If he did not, then he would lie awake and feel like sh** the daylight hours. We got him off the speed but it didn't matter, months later he still drank to excess until he slept.

Luckily, he got fired. Since he had accumulated considerably wealth, he decided to take a few months off and quit drinking. Once he quit, he had super energy which for weeks kept him up all night and he slept during the day. He said as long as his schedule stayed flipped, he really had no desire to drink. Now he is on a normal sleep schedule 12-8AM.

I have often wondered how many alcoholics were heavy drinkers due to having to get to sleep at night.

If you drink to excess, think about this post.

Great thread .
Gosh I'm truly suprised by the number of posts by people who's situation is sooooo similar to mine .

Even as a child I was always much happier and more energetic at night than I was during the day . I often failed classes at school because my concentration levels would be so low .
I can usually manage to get into a daytime routine , but only for a few days and then I slowly start to slip back into my nocturnal world .
I love photography ( anybody care to look up my work on Flickr , just search Terry Grealey ) , especially night photography .
I'm very lucky that I have a job where I work permenant 12 nights on a 4 on, 4 off basis , but on my four days off I do try to keep to the same routine as my girlfriend , although sometimes not too successfully .
If my employer ever requested that I move to a dayshift , I would quit my job for sure .

Just for the record , I take no medication what so ever , I'm very rarely ill and I am generally a very happy and smiley person .

BTW, I'm pisces

S+F to the OP .

I am so happy to finally find people like myself who enjoy the night. For me I was always having trouble getting up for school in the mornings back in high school but after I finally graduated and started living my own life I started following the sleep cycle that was always natural to me. I usually fall asleep around 7 in the morning and I wake up around 5:30 in the afternoon and boy I have to tell you I have never felt more alive in my entire life. I enjoy the night with a passion. I have more energy, I'm more coordinated, and I feel all around more strengthened than I ever did in the daytime. When I take a midnight stroll it just feels right. The moonlight shining off my skin, the cold chill of the night air, the peaceful stillness and quiet of my hometown. Complete bliss in every sense of the word. I do have a little sympathy for the daywalkers for they will never know the beauty that is the night. I have personally never had any trouble from people who think that we are lazy and label us as such but for those of you out there who are hassled for being what you are just know you are not alone. Take pride in what and who you are because it's your life your living, not theirs.

Originally posted by NightOwl13666
I am so happy to finally find people like myself who enjoy the night. For me I was always having trouble getting up for school in the mornings back in high school but after I finally graduated and started living my own life I started following the sleep cycle that was always natural to me. I usually fall asleep around 7 in the morning and I wake up around 5:30 in the afternoon and boy I have to tell you I have never felt more alive in my entire life. I enjoy the night with a passion. I have more energy, I'm more coordinated, and I feel all around more strengthened than I ever did in the daytime. When I take a midnight stroll it just feels right. The moonlight shining off my skin, the cold chill of the night air, the peaceful stillness and quiet of my hometown. Complete bliss in every sense of the word. I do have a little sympathy for the daywalkers for they will never know the beauty that is the night. I have personally never had any trouble from people who think that we are lazy and label us as such but for those of you out there who are hassled for being what you are just know you are not alone. Take pride in what and who you are because it's your life your living, not theirs.

How's that working for your (nonexistent) sex life?

you have mad me think. and are you a Goth! hehe.
Goths are a night time beast.
we have colour vison. night animals have black and white.

I like peace and quiet.
so I like the night to.
I love to walk my dog. no one about.
so she just runs free in the park.

I am one also. Thanks for the info. It always helps to find out that you're not alone, especially when it's an important issue.

I don't like to be in the pre-noon sun.....cloudy or clear skies, fall or spring, does not matter, I just feel like crap all day if I am.

But after saying all that, I'm not 100% sure if it's a cut and dry thing...could be I'm a night owl and that's why I struggle or if it's; I struggle with "normal" life so I become a night owl to avoid. The chicken or the egg thing.

I'm going to read those links.

Either way it does not really matter how or why I am this way, this is who I am and I'm learning to accept it.

BTW, Were any of you born in the middle of the night? I heard something about that. I was born around 4am.

reply to post by LiveToSpendIt


If you are speaking of my love life I'm single and I'm loving every minute of it. If you were just referring to my 'nonexistent' sex life as you called it it's fairly easy to get laid with a few one night stands a month. Either way its none of your $%@# business.

OMG! This is so my story! Always nice to know that you're not alone, thank you for that!
I noticed it when I had no job and no obligations, I stayed awake till the sun rises and then go to sleep.
When I hear the birds singing I get sleepy so it's really similar to OP's story.
My boyfriend has a job which he has to wake for at six in the morning so he hates it but I just can't help it.
It's like the moon gives me energy.
Also I have to say that I truly hate the sun. My eyes can't handle it well and when it's summer and really sunny outside I stay in all day. My friends think it's weird but I just really hate the sun. My eyes get all twitchy and tear up. I can handle a clouded day though, just not the full sunny summerdays, although I like the heat.
Im putting this one in my favorites. ^^

Another one here. Could always sleep in bright light even. There is something special about night. Calm and serene. I actually get a rush of endorphins when I drive at night with my music blaring. Never was a morning person. Getting out of bed was soo difficult. But if I wake up at noon, it is a breeze. No matter how many hours I sleep. I ususally stay up until it starts getting light out. I just feel like I was meant to live my life in the dark. Anyways, I figured why fight it. So I work the evening shift and enjoy my nights at home, awake. I even get paid more for working an odd shift. Hey someone has to do it.

reply to post by butterflyowl


I was born at exactly midnight.

+1
I've tried to change several times but it's impossible.I end up going to bed at 7a.m like has been for 23 years now.
I love the quiet and peace of the nighttime.
Good to know that theres lots of fellow nocturnals out there.
1 Love

There really are as many lifestyles as there are people. And believe me, you are NOT the only one that despises mornings.

I'm a night owl also. It's almost 5am and my bedtime, so I'll come back to this thread after i get some sleep. Nice to see there are others like me.

reply to post by Nightflower


There is an evolutionary basis for a small portion of a population being nocturnal... free night-guard. Also these tend to be depressed/cynical people that wouldn't mind putting a spear in the ass of anyone caught sneaking around.

Surprising the number of people in this thread are the same way.

I'm the same way also, always volunteered for any third shift job. When I was a kid and every time I've been on vacation or leave my sleep schedule seems to naturally move back to about 6:00AM to 2-3:00 PM. I suffer from insomnia and sometimes I can't sleep until near morning, I still get up after a few hours though for any obligations. I feel more comfortable at night, I see better than most people distance-wise (20/12 one eye, 20/13 the other) and my eyes are a bit sensitive to light. First time out the door on a bright morning I can't even keep both my eyes open and I have to squint until they adjust. I get headaches from light sometimes, I have my deepest sleep and most vivid dreams during daytime usually. I don't get hungry until evening comes usually, eating during the day upsets my stomach.

Originally posted by taxslave
There is an evolutionary basis for a small portion of a population being nocturnal... free night-guard. Also these tend to be depressed/cynical people that wouldn't mind putting a spear in the ass of anyone caught sneaking around.

Yep, that's me. Though I wouldn't consider myself depressed, maybe indifferent.

I would say this is me, partially, I spend about half my day in the light and half in night, by design.
I go to sleep around 2-4 A.M on any given night, wake up around 11 A.M -1 P.M, most awake around 11 P.M

reply to post by Nightflower


Night people are seriously discriminated against! People call you weird, you can't get most jobs, and yeah, cops look at you funny. Had that happen when I went to our storage shed (rented place) late one night. This place isn't even in town, and is not near homes. No gate, 24/7 access. Yet a cop follows the car in, and asks us why we are there. Key in the padlock, visible to him, and we are putting things IN the shed, and he acts like we are crooks. I basically looked at him like he was stupid, told him, yeah, this is our shed, etc.

Always been a night person. Kids are, too, which is one reason we home school. Works out FAR better! They know this is genetic, so how weird is it that society makes no provision for us?

Originally posted by SolarE-Souljah
What an awesome thread! I am so glad that there are others out there like me! I love to stay up all night, and slowly watch the morning start to brighten right as I go off to sleep. Sleeping during the day just works better for me.

Adventuring out at nighttime is the best. There is nobody else around to bother you, and you can walk down the street, stargazing, and enjoying the quietness and serenity that night brings. My peak energy levels are from 9pm to 4am.

ATS keeps me company late at night, and people post some really interesting things at 3am in the morning.

And you work nights at wal-mart?