21 Jul What It’s like to Be a Night Owl and How to Remain Healthy

Modern society is always changing, and success seems to go to those who can adapt in the best possible way or think ahead of their time. The fact that the Web provides us with business opportunities 24/7, and the business market practically never closes, which means that, sometimes, you have to be up throughout the night in order to catch your client.

Due to this, more and more people these days are starting to become more active during the night. Being a “night person” is something that is usually frowned upon by parents, backed up by “normally functioning people” but very few of these fighters for daytime human functionality don’t really know what’s it like, being a night owl. To be honest, neither do most night owls, and they practice the lifestyle. There is this stereotype – people who live at night are lazy – but this is very far from the truth. Have you ever wondered what turns a person into a night owl? Well, it seems it has more to do with genetics than anything else.

The truth behind the Night Owl state

While most parents assume that their children become “children of the night” due to bad habits and this “popular” lifestyle, evidence suggests that it is basically their fault – this state has more to do with genetics than with anything else. Actually, ¼ of the world’s population are night birds and this state usually hits people who have a dominant right side of the brain.  This means that people who spend their waking hours during the night are usually creative types, who like working solo and need their silence which, let’s face it, you can’t always get during the day, when the house is bustling. Creative types usually end up with well-paid positions. Not everyone can do quality work during the night and this leaves a lot of room for night owls to find good jobs.

These are just some of the upsides, but what about the downsides? Can it be that all that hassle about sleeping well are just some old wives’ tales? Well, not quite.

Health issues

Even though it comes naturally to most night owls, being awake during the night and sleeping during the day can have some negative effects on your health.  It is nothing that can’t be compensated with good planning and diligence, but still, you need to be aware of the downsides before you can take steps to prevent them.

• Obesity

You digestive tract works best during mid-day, and being awake during the night will probably make you hungry, and eating during the night might cause you to put on a few extra pounds. Furthermore, being chronically deprived of sleep can influence the lepton levels in your body, which is a hormone that helps your stomach realize you’ve had enough food.

• Depression

There was a study published by Psychiatry and Clinical Neuroscience, showing that nighttime people have a much greater tendency to get depressed. It might have a lot to do with the lack of D3 vitamins as a consequence of low sunlight exposure. It also might have something to do with not seeing anybody ever, since most people sleep at that time, when Night Owls are awake.

How to keep healthy

Regardless of your schedule, you can still mitigate the circumstances by taking walks in the sun to get D3 levels up. Also, make sure that you exercise regularly, in order to keep fit and get rid of that extra weight. One of the more persistent drawbacks of being a night owl are dark rings under the eyes, but this can be resolved, too. Having a regular sleeping pattern is also highly advisable, since chaotic sleepers tend to confuse their brains and their bodies even more, which can have a negative effect on their concentration, immune system and so on.

Conclusion

Parents, don’t yell at you kids for staying up late, they just might be on the road to a bright career. It is probably best to find some middle ground and help them stay healthy, while maintaining a lifestyle that suits them best. If they are genetic night owls, forcing them to have a “normal” sleeping pattern will only make them miserable and prevent them from functioning properly, since they will feel exhausted.