Feature Archives

How Night Owls View Early Birds

"A person thinks that (early birds) are energetic and virtuous. And probably a pain! There's nothing more infuriating then when somebody tells you that they got up at 4:30 (in the morning) and they exercised and they did this and they did that. It's just irritating to a night person to hear that. I think I feel inferior to them." (NO)Barb

"I have to admit I look down on people who go to bed at 9 o'clock at night. I don't think they're lazy. I just think "Nine o'clock at night! Get real! You're missing half your life!" (NO)Cindy

(Early birds) run the world. We have to fit in. Most of those people are imposing their lifestyle on us. Leave me alone and let me do my own thing and quit passing judgment on my life and my performance." (NO)Kathy

"I have friends that get up at 6 o'clock in the morning and I go "Why do you have to be up at 6 o'clock in the morning?" and they go "Oh, it's a great time of the day!" Well, if that's all you're up for, just to see the sun come up.... To me it's a waste of time to get up that early just to get ready for a day." (NO)Neil

In spite of holding less than charitable views about early birds, night owls do perceive both advantages and disadvantages in being an early bird. The perceived advantages are particularly related to finding it easier to get up in the morning and enjoying what the morning has to offer.

"Sometimes, I think "Well, if I got up early, then I would have all that time and I would do all those things and still have all the rest of the day to go." Early birds have that advantage because by the time I get going, it's afternoon and much of the day is over." (NO)Teresa

"When I do get up early in the morning, especially at the lake, it is beautiful, and I'm thinking "Gosh, I'm missing half the day." So I think they have that over us." (NO)Rose

Most of the perceived disadvantages are seen to be related to missing out on the nighttime, a time in which night owls glory.

"I think there's a lot of disadvantages to being an early bird. You have to go to bed at 9 o'clock at night. They're tired early in the evening. They miss out on a lot of life. If they do socialize, then they're very tired the next day, so they probably pay for it." (NO)Cindy

Another night owl, while not perceiving any disadvantages in being an early bird, does, however, sympathize with a situation early birds often find themselves in.

"I think it would be hard for them to understand a night owl. For them to be up early and want to be able to do things and things are not happening, - to get up and be waiting for their spouse or their friend before they can even phone them in the morning. Things like that. To me that would be really frustrating." (NO)Darcy

Though night owls are often thought to sleep longer than usual, night owls often have the same view of early birds who go to bed relatively early. This was indicated by Alice, who is an early bird with a husband who does not share the same schedule.

"He thinks I need too much sleep." (EB)Alice