# Nocturnalism **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 22, 2005, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nocturnalism/304932 "2005-05-22T04:22:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2005, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nocturnalism/304932/1 "2005-05-22T04:22:23Z")
I have never been able to get a restful nights sleep in my life. Not to say that I don’t sleep all night–in fact the longer I can sleep the better–but regardless I will wake up feeling tired and be so throughout the day. If, however, I sleep during the day I only need to sleep for 5 hours or so and wake up fully rested and ready for another day. I can stay awake through to dawn without feeling tired any night–in fact my feeling of tiredness generally goes away in the evening. Similarly I can fall asleep at the drop of a hat so long as the sun is up. This is not a goth thing–goth didn’t exist when I was 3 feet tall. Specifically, when left to myself the way my schedule ends up is that I will quickly get on a night (awake) schedule, but with a 25 hour day. It will start with me falling to sleep about 6am (waking up around noon and feeling rested), with this getting about an hour later every day until I would go to sleep about noon–then I end up staying awake through the day and night to again fall asleep starting at 6am. I have never particularly researched this and don’t generally mind (traditionally, being awake at night has given me lots of time to think.) But I was just reminded in another thread of this fact of my existence–so thought I would ask. Is this a something that people have? I’ve never heard of it. ---
**Author:** ![Catalyst](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e47774/32.png) [@Catalyst](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Catalyst)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2005, 5:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nocturnalism/304932/2 "2005-05-22T05:03:39Z")
No idea if there’s a name for it, but you’ve pretty much described the sleep schedule I’ve been on since school ended two weeks ago. ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2005, 5:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nocturnalism/304932/3 "2005-05-22T05:24:13Z")
MAH BROTHER! 😃 _holds out arms…things better of it and gives a thumbs up_ ---
**Author:** ![Queen\_Bruin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e274bd/32.png) [@Queen\_Bruin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Queen_Bruin)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2005, 6:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nocturnalism/304932/4 "2005-05-22T06:20:42Z")
I remember from my psych class that something like 10% of people are naturally nocturnal. I am definitely this way; I actually cheered when my husband got put on swing shift. I usually hit the weights at 3 am. I also seem to be on a 25-26 hour day. I’ve been this way since I was a kid. You are not alone. ---
**Author:** ![smiling\_bandit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@smiling\_bandit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smiling_bandit)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2005, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nocturnalism/304932/5 "2005-05-22T14:09:50Z")
Staying up to 2-3 am is perfectly natural for me. ---
**Author:** ![Lissla\_Lissar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8491ac/32.png) [@Lissla\_Lissar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lissla_Lissar)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2005, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nocturnalism/304932/6 "2005-05-22T18:44:28Z")
My husband works either midnight till eight or 4 till midnight. I work from 4 p.m. until 11. Suits me fine. I’m not entirely nocturnal, but my normal bedtime is between 1 and 4. I resent getting up early. My functional time is between noon and 1 am. He’ll naturally go to bed at 3 am and get up at 1 pm or so. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2005, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nocturnalism/304932/7 "2005-05-23T01:03:25Z")
Same here. I sleep best in the morning through early afternoon (as long as there’s no one playing basketball in the neighborhood). ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2005, 5:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nocturnalism/304932/8 "2005-05-23T05:10:32Z")
Hm, cool to know there are others about. 🙂 Was somewhat hoping that someone might know of a study which showed this–for instance, a cite that 10% are nocturnalites. Not certain how to google for that… “nocturnal sleep pattern study”…perhaps? Well will post back if I find something. ---
**Author:** ![Ardrine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ee59a6/32.png) [@Ardrine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ardrine)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2005, 10:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nocturnalism/304932/9 "2005-05-23T10:53:52Z")
This [site](http://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/exhibitions/brain/133.asp) says the 25 hours thing is usual: > [@](#): > > Your waking/sleeping cycle is usually 24 hours long. If you were kept from knowing the time of day, this cycle would gradually lengthen to about 25 hours. ---
**Author:** ![Ardrine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ee59a6/32.png) [@Ardrine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ardrine)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2005, 10:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nocturnalism/304932/10 "2005-05-23T10:59:40Z")
> [@Sage Rat](#): > > Not certain how to google for that… > > “nocturnal sleep pattern study”…perhaps? Well will post back if I find something. You could try using some variation on “circadian rhythm”. ---
**Author:** ![Queen\_Bruin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e274bd/32.png) [@Queen\_Bruin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Queen_Bruin)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2005, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nocturnalism/304932/11 "2005-05-24T04:27:09Z")
The closest I can get to a (good) cite is referred to on [this](http://www.nimh.nih.gov/publicat/bioclock.cfm#14) NIMH site. It is footnote #14. There is also [this](http://www.rednova.com/news/display/?id=106737) article (warning: I got a popup in Firefox from accessing this site, and wasn’t too happy to have “night owls” compared to Morlocks - feh!). I’d get my psych book but I sold it so I could buy a new outfit for graduation last year. :smack: Mostly I found stuff talking about people “suffering from circadian rhythm sleep disorders” ([here](http://www.surrey.ac.uk/SBMS/neuroendocrinology/neuroendocrinology.htm)) The hell? I’m not suffering! Waking up before noon - that’s suffering! ---
**Author:** ![Hunter\_Hawk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/50afbb/32.png) [@Hunter\_Hawk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hunter_Hawk)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2005, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nocturnalism/304932/12 "2005-05-24T04:36:52Z")
A better search term would be something like “phase shifted sleep cycle”. ---
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2005, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nocturnalism/304932/13 "2005-05-24T04:44:05Z")
> [@The Sausage Creature](#): > > There is also [this](http://www.rednova.com/news/display/?id=106737) article (warning: I got a popup in Firefox from accessing this site, and wasn’t too happy to have “night owls” compared to Morlocks - feh!). Well, the Morlocks do eat well… In other news, I’m generally a night owl. I’m at my best when I stay up to 1am or 2am, and then get up at 7am or 8am. Holding to a rigorous schedule, as all the best experts recommend, doesn’t really work well for me. Needless to say, this caused no end of frustration when I was a child. I’d spend hours after my 8pm bedtime staring at the ceiling or sneaking a read with flashlight and concealed book, until I was caught and punished. Stranger ---
**Author:** ![Queen\_Bruin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e274bd/32.png) [@Queen\_Bruin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Queen_Bruin)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2005, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nocturnalism/304932/14 "2005-05-24T04:48:18Z")
> [@Stranger On A Train](#): > > Needless to say, this caused no end of frustration when I was a child. I’d spend hours after my 8pm bedtime staring at the ceiling or sneaking a read with flashlight and concealed book, until I was caught and punished. > > Stranger You described a frequent feature of my childhood - although my mom usually let me get away with it. ---
**Author:** ![Queen\_Bruin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e274bd/32.png) [@Queen\_Bruin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Queen_Bruin)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2005, 4:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nocturnalism/304932/15 "2005-05-24T04:59:21Z")
> [@Hunter Hawk](#): > > A better search term would be something like “phase shifted sleep cycle”. Thanks! Those search terms brings up [this](http://www.supermemo.com/articles/sleepchart.htm) article (amongst others). Anecdotal: When in the seventh grade, I tested out of pre-algebra and they stuck me in algebra. In eighth, same thing. Ninth? Same deal. I failed all three times. The common denominator? They were all first period (around 7am-ish) classes. I dropped out of HS after ninth but went back to college when I was 17. I picked all afternoon math classes and got straight A’s. Except in College Algebra, where I got a (very hard earned) C - but that class started at 9am. Make of it what you will. ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2005, 5:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nocturnalism/304932/16 "2005-05-24T05:07:27Z")
> [@Hunter Hawk](#): > > A better search term would be something like “phase shifted sleep cycle”. Tried that with “night owl” and got some articles which led me to “Delayed Sleep Phase Syndrome”–this appearing to be the technical term. A google search on that brings up lots of articles which seem to be spot on. Though they all seem to mostly indicate that pretty much, it is genetic and thus unlikely to be fixable. Though it appears I am better off than some as I don’t fall asleep on on accident during the day. I am just tired and the brain is fuzzy–of course to some extent this is just because I’m so used to dealing with being tired (and can go without sleep for plural days without much difference.) Thanks all! ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2005, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nocturnalism/304932/17 "2005-05-24T15:22:19Z")
Another “Me too.” My natural cycle seems to be going to bed between dawn and midmorning and waking up sometime in the midafternoon. We don’t need to ‘fix’ our sleep patterns. We need to get stores and other businesses to adjust themselves to our schedule. And one fine night, we shall rise up and slay the perky morning people. ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2005, 5:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nocturnalism/304932/18 "2005-07-18T05:59:34Z")
I’m another one. I work 9-5 now, but I still can’t sleep before 1:30 AM, except on rare occasions. So I just go without sleep. When I worked for myself, I naturally drifted into a mode where I slept until 2 or 3 in the afternoon, then I’d stay up all night and go to sleep at 7 or 8 in the morning. That’s when I’m really happy. It’s just impossible to do that now. ---
**Author:** ![theLaughingMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/90db22/32.png) [@theLaughingMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/theLaughingMan)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2005, 8:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nocturnalism/304932/19 "2005-07-18T08:35:25Z")
I’m glad to know there are others, I’m not usually social during the night hours but I easily can stay up till 8AM every day. Wake up at 2PM work at 4:30PM, out at midnight, computer till dawn! Yay for no life! 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Large\_Marge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/50afbb/32.png) [@Large\_Marge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Large_Marge)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2005, 9:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nocturnalism/304932/20 "2005-07-18T09:03:56Z")
If left to nature, I will fall asleep about 4 a.m., and rise 8 hours later at noon. This schedule works wonderfully for me, but society doesn’t make it easy. After 8 a.m., people make noise, call me, knock on my door, and basically make it impossible to keep that schedule. Even my good friends who have known me for years \*forget \* that I sleep until noon, and will call me first thing in the morning. Ugh. I’m on an 8 to 5 schedule now, and while my body doesn’t care for it much, my social life is easier. It’s very difficult to find normal people to hang with when you are up till 4 a.m. and sleep until noon. It’s frustrating. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nocturnalism/304932.md?page=2)