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I'd have to say early risers are more productive, and nature made us that way"
Human naturally evolved as diurnal animals that rose and slept with the sun; and that only changed in a big way with the invention of electric lights. 130 years is not long enough for us to evolve any nocturnal traits; so generally speaking, the early riser is gonna be more effective in the end.
I'm an early bird, myself, but wouldn't make such set-in-stone statements. In three decades of work, I've experienced the entire range of schedules, from first shift to third, observing dozens of coworkers. When I worked third shift and had to give turnover to people coming in at 8am, I had to wave a cup of strong coffee under the nose of some. One guy, I had to practically slap awake. As I was talking to him his head would nod-nod-nod then *thunk*, fall face down to the desk. Out of aggravation; I was tired and wanted to go home; I berated him on getting enough sleep. His reply was always "I went to bed at 10! I just don't sleep well that time of night!"
That people have bio-clocks has been proven; many have to force themselves to work hours that aren't natural to them. I was a third shifter for 10 years - a schedule that definitely went against my normal pattern - and am now in recovery from that abuse. Yet I worked with people who thrived on that schedule and couldn't understand why I was so tired even though I had gotten 9 hours of sleep during the day. That such sleep was only gained by taking a sedative was an indication that those hours weren't right for me. Now that I'm semi-retired I can live by my 'up at 5am, asleep by 9pm' schedule and feel like a human being after having kept vampire hours for so many years. But I know that many of my former coworkers will be rolling out of bed at that time and feeling like crap.
I worked for an inventory company for a while, and most jobs were in the dead of night. That's when I learned my 'thunk' point is about 3am. Body says sleep. Now. At 2am I could count and remember. At 3:30 couldn't remember what the last row was. I'm not 'nightbird', which a few of my friends call me over my name, for nothing.
I'll be tired and relaxed at 9pm and just 'wake up' mentally and concentration wise at 10. No way is sleep going to happen. The home business was perfect since it got done at all the RIGHT times.
College, I seeked out the later afternoon classes most people didn't want since I was energized then. If you really look at the signs, especially if you do it at a time when you don't have constraints on when you do things, most people will see a pattern.
Us vamps are frequently told to get with the system by people who aren't vamps. Thanks for the reverse story.
I really wonder with the skyrocketing problems with sleep disorders and insomnia, if we just paid attention to individual rythems if many would go away. I was always said to have bad insomnia, and drugs make me sleepy for a half hour and then I wake up refreshed for the night so that wasn't a solution. But keeping to my schedule, where I wake up when I wake up and sleep when I get sleepy it doesn't vary more than an hour or so and I do get a full sleep.
We need to stop thinking there is a 'right' cycle and find space for everyone.
I'd have to say early risers are more productive, and nature made us that way"
Human naturally evolved as diurnal animals that rose and slept with the sun; and that only changed in a big way with the invention of electric lights. 130 years is not long enough for us to evolve any nocturnal traits; so generally speaking, the early riser is gonna be more effective in the end.
While it is true that we evolved as diurnal, there is a theory out there that *some* individuals have nocturnal tendencies. These were the people who kept safe watch over the "tribe" during their sleeping hours, alerting them to potential dangers from animals and rival gangs. And in fact, these people were highly regarded for their service from what I have read.
So apparently, as in all nature, there are variations.
While it is true that we evolved as diurnal, there is a theory out there that *some* individuals have nocturnal tendencies. These were the people who kept safe watch over the "tribe" during their sleeping hours, alerting them to potential dangers from animals and rival gangs. And in fact, these people were highly regarded for their service from what I have read.
Reminds me of the opening scene from the movie "Quest for Fire". Caveman Og stood watch at night, keeping the fire going and being on alert for danger to the tribe. One of the perks was all the tasty bugs attracted by the light of the fire that he ingested as a late night snack
Quoting from the second article on "early risers":
"He found that those who wake up earlier get better grades in school......."
This (and the quote below) seems like sketchy reasoning that deserves to be looked at more critically. Seeing as most classes are in the morning to early afternoon, how is it any kind of valid comparison to look at the grades of "late risers" who take morning to early afternoon classes, and may naturally be tired because they hardly have gotten any sleep, having been up all night. Poor grades is not an indication of a lack of productivity. It's more likely an indication of using the wrong data to seek out results that one wanted to begin with to support ones preexisting theory.
If you want to have somewhat of a valid ceteris paribus comparison, you have to examine the productivity of the early risers by how they perform in the morning and early afternoon, versus examining the productivity of the night owls by examining their productivity at night. Both groups have to have the examination done at the time of their peak productivity, not whenever the researcher "feels like" collecting the data, at his leisure. If you take data from a group that's not at their peak productivity time, then what's the point, you might as well just go ahead and make it really unfair and even more meaningless by collecting the data when one of the groups is asleep, and claiming, "see, I was right... they are being totally unproductive!"
Its silly (if that is indeed what the researcher did) to look at the productivity of night owls by what they do in the morning just as much as it would be silly to do the converse, infer productivity of early risers by forcing the early risers to stay up all night long and do tasks. Both respective groups would likely lose productivity if you examined them out of their element, at the time they were not at their peak productivity.
The article continues:
"Now a recent study of 367 students, conducted by Christopher Randler at the University of Education at Heidelberg, adds some hard data to what many have known for years.
Randler analyzed the student’s behavior and mood by asking them a series of questions. He found that the early morning risers were far more likely to answer with statements such as “I feel in charge of making things happen” and “I spend time identifying long-range goals for myself.” "
Again, I am curious on his methodology. Exactly when did this researcher conduct this study? Did he ask these questions of night owls at 0730 hours [in the morning]? I certainly hope not, else that would be faulty data collection. On the otherhand, if he asked them that (the night owls only - not the early risers) at 2000 hours, his data might be more sound.
I'm an early bird, myself, but wouldn't make such set-in-stone statements. In three decades of work, I've experienced the entire range of schedules, from first shift to third, observing dozens of coworkers. When I worked third shift and had to give turnover to people coming in at 8am, I had to wave a cup of strong coffee under the nose of some. One guy, I had to practically slap awake. As I was talking to him his head would nod-nod-nod then *thunk*, fall face down to the desk. Out of aggravation; I was tired and wanted to go home; I berated him on getting enough sleep. His reply was always "I went to bed at 10! I just don't sleep well that time of night!"
That people have bio-clocks has been proven; many have to force themselves to work hours that aren't natural to them. I was a third shifter for 10 years - a schedule that definitely went against my normal pattern - and am now in recovery from that abuse. Yet I worked with people who thrived on that schedule and couldn't understand why I was so tired even though I had gotten 9 hours of sleep during the day. That such sleep was only gained by taking a sedative was an indication that those hours weren't right for me. Now that I'm semi-retired I can live by my 'up at 5am, asleep by 9pm' schedule and feel like a human being after having kept vampire hours for so many years. But I know that many of my former coworkers will be rolling out of bed at that time and feeling like crap.
But I am the Mighty Queen!
After thinking about this topic, I wonder now if in all the years I was a late-to-bed/late-to-rise person I was going against my natural clock. When I was little, I remember loving to wake up before dawn and watch out the window as the scene slowly got lighter.
When I hit 7th grade, our Junior/Senior high school (we didn't have the "middle school" thing) was too crowded, so they put us on split session. My school hours were 12:20 p.m to 4:50 p.m. In winter, I walked home from school in the dark. I didn't get up until 10 a.m. Perhaps this screwed me up. Anyway, I'm much happier since I changed myself into an early riser.
I'll concede that there are people who may be naturally inclined to be night owls, but not as many as claim to be, in my opinion. There seems to be some perceived "coolness" with claiming to be a night person.
As far as our natural inclination to rise and set with the sun, perhaps a percentage of people are indeed programmed to be night people, and back in the cave days they were the ones to keep watch by the fire and fight off the saber-toothed tigers.
I'll concede that there are people who may be naturally inclined to be night owls, but not as many as claim to be, in my opinion. There seems to be some perceived "coolness" with claiming to be a night person.
As far as our natural inclination to rise and set with the sun, perhaps a percentage of people are indeed programmed to be night people, and back in the cave days they were the ones to keep watch by the fire and fight off the saber-toothed tigers.
The morning after my mother brought me home from the hospital, I slept until 10 am. She had to come in and WAKE ME UP, to make sure I was still alive. I have not had a baby myself, but it is my understanding that this behavior is unusual for a newborn.
Delayed sleep phase syndrome is very real and very difficult disorder. Many people have it and do not understand it. Honestly, it can and has ruined many lives - even resulting in suicide). There are treatments, but unfortunately, none has worked for me.
Anyone who has had issues "conforming" to the 9 - 5 world, and has had that negatively impact their life should look into DSPS and other circadian rhythm disorders or answers. It might make a big difference.
Useless question. One's productivity depends not on what time of the day he performs his work, but rather the overall quantity and quality of it. For every productive Night Owl I can show you a hard-charging Early Riser.
And vice Versa, ad nauseum.
The morning after my mother brought me home from the hospital, I slept until 10 am. She had to come in and WAKE ME UP, to make sure I was still alive. I have not had a baby myself, but it is my understanding that this behavior is unusual for a newborn.
Delayed sleep phase syndrome is very real and very difficult disorder. Many people have it and do not understand it. Honestly, it can and has ruined many lives - even resulting in suicide). There are treatments, but unfortunately, none has worked for me.
Anyone who has had issues "conforming" to the 9 - 5 world, and has had that negatively impact their life should look into DSPS and other circadian rhythm disorders or answers. It might make a big difference.
20yrsinBranson
Are you saying that being a night owl is a disease? That we have to all be the same and live with the same rythem? What if you just feel more alive and awake and the brain is in full productivity after dark? All I know is I have had 'sleep problems' all my life until I decided to let my body decide when it wanted to sleep. Bingo, sleep better than ever. Just don't bother me before noon, but you can call at 1am.
Why is it that those who are wired differntly must be "sick" and have to be "fixed"?
I've 'struggled' all my life with sleep, pills are a worse disastor and the 'natural' stuff wears out after a week. But most of all I have never felt the satisfaction of doing the same things when the sun is out. It's not just the time on the clock, its the quiet and the knowing that nothing is going to interrupt and the whole feel of being at one with your own place in the world that maked night magic and day, well just day.
When I have gotten up earlire I just crash at four and wake up at ten and stay up until the sun comes up. I've actually compared things I've written at different times and can immediatley spot the stuff which was after ten at night because there is so much more clarity to it.
Quit trying to fix what isn't broken, just give people options to find what fits them. There is NO reason why we couldn't do that.
I am the same way, and I used to be the late riser. I stayed up late whenever possible and I had a hard time getting up in the morning and was often late to work. That whole schpiel about "well, I'm just a night person" is a crock. It's a choice.
I changed myself. Now I rise at 5 a.m., partly because I have to get to work at a certain time, lol, but I am never late to work unless it's the train's fault. If I sleep past 7 on the weekends I feel as if I've stayed in bed too late. The morning is the very best time of the day, and overall, life is better when you follow the old "early to bed, early to rise" way of living. It's more natural, I suppose, going back to before we had electricity and television and all those other things.
Of course, a person who works on off shifts isn't going to be able to do this.
I disagree. I have always been a night person even in the womb. My mom will tell you that she would have to poke her belly to get me to move during the day & then as soon as her head hit the pillow I would kick a rib all night long. I truly believe that some people are just night people. And I am 1 of them. When I have to get up early I usually am taking a 2-3 hour nap around 6pm and am then up again during the night for another 5 hours. Which stinks if you have to get up early again the next day.
Of course right now I am working 2 jobs (1 at night) and am taking 3 online classes so I am living and surviving on naps more than sleep. And then when I can actually sleep I find I sleep only about 5 or 6 hours and I am awake again. It sucks. I miss sleeping during the day.
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