Night owls are fascinating people; they are inspired by the moon and they come alive at night time. Night owls are mostly energetic when the darkness covers the skies. They become incredibly motivated by the silence that governs the nights and find their muse in dim city lights.
You can find those night owls doing some deep cleaning late at night, getting some workout done, working on a side gig, and you can even see them doing chores that they’ve been dragging all day long.
And while that sounds amazing, these people are not vampires; they are humans. Humans need to sleep at night and function during day time.
So, is being a night owl unhealthy?
1- It May Indicate A Sleeping Disorder
We need to stop romanticizing unhealthy sleeping habits because being a night owl indicates that you have a sleeping disorder. Calling yourself a “night owl” does not change the fact that you are having trouble falling asleep at night. It may be just another synonym for “insomniac”. Scientists have even labeled it as Delayed Sleep Phase Disorder (DSPD).
It’s classified as a disorder because you are messing with your body’s circadian system. In other words, you’re messing with your body’s temperature- that can’t be good!
2- You’re Going Against Mother Nature
Our bodies are programmed to be alert when the sun is up and shut down when the sun goes down. We were built and designed just like that.
Your internal or biological clock knows that and there’s nothing you could ever do to change that. You cannot fight a battle against mother nature and expect to win; you will lose every single time.
You’re back to square one: You’re messing with your body’s circadian system. To put it in simpler words, if your biological clock is compromised, so is your immune system. Your body will gradually become fragile and your digestive system will grow weaker.
3- You’re At Risk To Develop More Diseases
Consequently, this bad sleeping habit will make you sick and more prone to diseases. Being a night owl increases your chances of developing cancerous cells.
You’re also more at risk to develop diabetes. If that’s still not enough, being a night owl significantly increases your chances of suffering from heart diseases, blood pressure diseases, and elevated cholesterol. Moreover, you are more likely to suffer from obesity and other eating disorders.
What’s worth staying up late for? What’s worth putting your body at such great risk?
4- Your Mental Health Will Suffer Too
The relationship between sleeping habits and mental health is undeniable. Good sleeping habits are related to good mental health, just like poor sleeping habits are related to mental health issues.
Sleeping regulates our hormones and makes them balanced. If you’re not getting enough sleep or sleeping at the wrong times, then who’s working on balancing those hormones?
For instance, the cortisol hormone increases when we don’t get enough sleep- it’s good to know that cortisol is the stress hormone.
You’re more likely to develop depression and aggravate anxiety symptoms if you’re not sleeping enough.
4- You’re Missing Out On Life
Being a night owl means that you’re more likely to sleep during the morning hours, if not till noon. This means that you’re more likely to miss events because many events happen during the time you’re sleeping. And if you happen to attend those events, you will be sleepy and grumpy, which means you will not have a good time.
Not only that, but you’re missing out on glorious mornings. There’s nothing in the world that’s remotely close to the beauty of the mornings.
You’re missing out on that musky earthy smell and the smell of fresh grass. You’re missing out on seeing those dewy flowers and hearing the sound of chirping birds.
There’s a whole life happening during the hours you’re sleeping because the world won’t sleep if you are.
How To Become A Morning Person?
1- Setting Up Your Biological Alarm
Setting up your biological alarm is easier than you would think because you are programmed like this; you are built to sleep when it’s dark and wake up when it’s light outside.
What you need to do is gradually force yourself to wake up in the morning and go get some light to alert your body. You will be slowly shifting your sleeping schedule. It will be hard at first but you will eventually get there.
2- Establish A Bedtime Routine
A Bedtime routine tells your body that it’s time to sleep. Adopting certain habits before going to sleep will do the trick; your body will automatically know that it’s time to sleep and you won’t find it difficult to fall asleep.
A good bedtime routine can be anything you would like it to be, as long as it’s soothing and not stimulating. You can drink a cup of decaf tea while reading your favorite magazine, or you can write in your journal, or you can take a warm shower and do some skincare rituals.
3- Plan Your Mornings
It can be a good idea to have something to look forward to in the mornings. For instance, you can have a coffee date with your buddy in the mornings; this will make you look forward to waking up.
Don’t make your morning full of chores, it will only make you want to stay in bed. Aim for a slow morning routine that will make you excited to wake up.
4- Avoid Stimulants
Stimulants can be anything that makes you hyper and wakes you up. You don’t have to be reminded to stay away from alcohol and caffeine during night-time. Moreover, social media can make you agitated, and watching the news may stimulate you.