My son when a young person would be in bed by 10 PM and up at 6 AM. Then during 6 years of college and grad school, he started staying up late and sleeping in until noon or later. He set his college classes to begin in the afternoon. For many years he has continued to stay awake until 4 to 5 AM, then sleep to 3:30 PM or later every day. He wants to be a teacher, but he cannot get into a routine where he goes to bed early and rises early. He sometimes gets into a "normal" sleep routine, but then on Friday nights, he stays up all night and it resets him back to zero in terms of his sleeping habits. What can he do to get into a normal routine so he can get up early to teach school?
I can honestly say that, as a Night Owl, I have never had any trouble getting out of bed in the morning, nor have I experienced any other supposed negative consequences of hitting the sack later in the evening. I'm healthy, happy...My body just seems to need less sleep - simple as that.
I think that it's a bit offensive to automatically label Night Owls as having a disorder - each person's body is a unique machine that cannot be covered by a blanket statement. I swear, one of these days there is going to be an article about morning people having "premature waking syndrome"...
i am 11 years old and right now it is 2:12 am i usually stay up till 5am i am in middle school and have to get up at 6:30 to get ready for school and at night i am not even tired when i get to school i am tired miserbable and cranky one day we had a big common essement test i got a d and i elemetary i was a all a's student my graded have gone down so far i cant concentrate in class and i am one of those kids that is scared they will get sent down to principals office if ythey fall asleep during class and its not like i can leave school for luch and take a nap it is horrible and somtinme i wont even eat for the whole day
Hi Natalie,
I feel your pain. If I eat before 2:00 p.m. I feel as though I am going to throw up, this is everyday.
So I just stopped eating breakfast altogether. If I do feel I need more energy in the morning I just suck on some candy.
Don't try to fit the mold that the world has created. You need to find out what is right for you. If you can't sleep at night try sleeping at other times during the day, like as soon as you get home from school. Then you can study during the night. Spend some extra time sleeping on the weekends.
When you are up doing your homework at 1:00 a.m., know that I am up with you.
Kim
Hi sweetheart, I have have to comment on your post. I am 27 and have been living with Night owl syndrome, chronic fatigue, and depression since I was about 14. It was not fun and it's only gotten worse. If you can get any help from your doctor, parents, counselor (if you have one) start now hun. Get your grades back up. Try your best to sleep so maybe you won't be so tired in school. Have you tried music or aroma therapy? Soundscapes music is helpful to me a lot. If you haven't talked to anyone about this you really should. I hate to see anyone go through school like I did, struggling, especially when you said you had straight A's. There are people that can help you. Goodluck.
The fact that someone does not fit the "norm" is not the same as them having a "disorder".
Lefties are also outside the "norm", but no one considers being left handed a disorder. Anymore.
My entire life I was forced to get up at ~6 a.m., and it was awful, because I could never get to sleep much before 2 a.m.. Even as a teenager. I finally started working an overnight shift, and have never slept better. I am much more likely to get 7 hours of sleep now, and am much more productive. That doesn't make me disordered.
Now, sleep apnea -- that's a disorder! A nice CPAP machine, and the world is a better place.
Featuring Content From:
By using this service, you accept our Terms of Use. Please read them. The consumer health information on is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment for any medical conditions. You should promptly seek professional medical care if you have any concern about your health, and you should always consult your physician before starting a fitness regimen. Copyright © 2012 Remedy Health Media, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
I have suffered from night owl syndrome my entire life, my case is extreme. Although I have for years proclaimed that "I am not a morning person," I only just recently realized that there are other people like me. I have always had problems functioning on the job. Luckily my current job is done via the Internet and can be done at anytime. Regularly, I would start working a 10:00/11:00 p.m. and am up until 2:00/3:00 a.m. working on the computer. I wouldn't go back to working in an office if I were offered 10 times what I make now.
I disagree that people should try to "cure" their "delayed sleep phase syndrome," and I vehemently disagree that it is a disorder. That is like saying people who have brown hair or freckles have a disorder. Being a night owl is just the way we are, I don't believe that it can be cured (permanently).
One thing that really surprised (for lack of a better word) me in this article is the recommendation to use bright lights as therapy. Bright lights hurt my eyes and my head. I could barely read two sentences without getting tired under bright lights. I often read with nothing more than a television on, and can read the entire magazine without tiring. I suspect that it has someting to do with being a night owl.
I use to hate being a night owl, but now that I have found my dream job, I am loving it.