Night owl (person)
Encyclopedia
Night owl is a term used to describe a person who tends to stay up until late at night. Another name for a night owl is evening person.
The opposite of a night owl is an early bird
, a lark
as opposed to owl, someone who tends to begin sleeping at a time that is considered early and also wakes early. In several countries, early birds are called "A-people" and night owls are called "B-people". Researchers traditionally use the terms "morningness" and "eveningness".
. Usually, people who are night owls stay awake past midnight and extreme night owls may stay awake until just before or after dawn. Night owls tend to feel most energetic just before they go to sleep at night. Some night owls have a preference or habit for staying up late, or stay up to work the night shift
. Night owls who work the day shift often have a problem with being on time for work.
Researchers have found that 'differences in a fundamental property of the circadian timing system
, its intrinsic period, will determine whether someone is an early bird, who awakens before dawn or a night owl, who tends to stay up late at night but sleeps in late'. Some night owls who have great difficulty adopting normal sleep
ing and waking times may have delayed sleep phase syndrome
. It has been suggested that 'circadian rhythm can change over the course of a lifetime so that a onetime early riser becomes a night owl later on (or vice versa)'. Light therapy
may be helpful 'if you are the night owl type...[to] shift your sleep rhythm so that you can fall asleep sooner in the evening and wake up earlier in the morning'.
Often in a work context, 'night people are viewed as lazy, undisciplined, unpunctual or as having an attitude problem...Night people have been speaking out against this bias, though, until recently, mainly in a humorous vein'. However 'in January 2007, night owls in Denmark began a serious push for change. They formed the "B-Society"', arguing that the early bird model was inappropriate for a post-agricultural world, and 'attracting the support of trade unions, politicians, and policy-makers interested in making a more flexible workplace'.
Others would celebrate the status of night-owl. 'As one of the night people, I realized I was among the select....We have the world to ourselves'. 'Blessed are the owls, for they shall inherit the mystery and magic of the night'.
s use different criteria and come to different results. Some ask what time people do go to sleep and wake up—others ask what time people would prefer to. A survey of over 400 adults showed approximately 15% morning people, 25% evening people, and 60% intermediates.
For Robert Louis Stevenson
, 'there is a romance about all those who are abroad in the black hours'.
In Jayne Ann Krentz
's Truth or Dare, 'Arcadia and Harry were both creatures of the night. They managed to appear oddly stylish at one-thirty in the morning'. When Arcadia's life is threatened, Harry suggests they immediately contact their friendly neighbourhood P. I., only for Arcadia to object: '"It's one-thirty a.m. He and Zoe will be sound asleep." "Not our fault those two keep weird hours"'.
The opposite of a night owl is an early bird
Early Bird
Early Bird may refer to:*A "lark", or "morning person", who usually gets up early in the morning and goes to bed early in the evening*An "early bird sale", also known as a Doorbuster...
, a lark
Lark (person)
Lark is a term used to describe a person who usually gets up early in the morning and goes to bed early in the evening. Other terms are "morning person" and "early bird"....
as opposed to owl, someone who tends to begin sleeping at a time that is considered early and also wakes early. In several countries, early birds are called "A-people" and night owls are called "B-people". Researchers traditionally use the terms "morningness" and "eveningness".
Origins and characteristics
The term is derived from the primarily nocturnal habits of the owlOwl
Owls are a group of birds that belong to the order Strigiformes, constituting 200 bird of prey species. Most are solitary and nocturnal, with some exceptions . Owls hunt mostly small mammals, insects, and other birds, although a few species specialize in hunting fish...
. Usually, people who are night owls stay awake past midnight and extreme night owls may stay awake until just before or after dawn. Night owls tend to feel most energetic just before they go to sleep at night. Some night owls have a preference or habit for staying up late, or stay up to work the night shift
Shift work
Shift work is an employment practice designed to make use of the 24 hours of the clock. The term "shift work" includes both long-term night shifts and work schedules in which employees change or rotate shifts....
. Night owls who work the day shift often have a problem with being on time for work.
Researchers have found that 'differences in a fundamental property of the circadian timing system
Circadian rhythm
A circadian rhythm, popularly referred to as body clock, is an endogenously driven , roughly 24-hour cycle in biochemical, physiological, or behavioural processes. Circadian rhythms have been widely observed in plants, animals, fungi and cyanobacteria...
, its intrinsic period, will determine whether someone is an early bird, who awakens before dawn or a night owl, who tends to stay up late at night but sleeps in late'. Some night owls who have great difficulty adopting normal sleep
Sleep
Sleep is a naturally recurring state characterized by reduced or absent consciousness, relatively suspended sensory activity, and inactivity of nearly all voluntary muscles. It is distinguished from quiet wakefulness by a decreased ability to react to stimuli, and is more easily reversible than...
ing and waking times may have delayed sleep phase syndrome
Delayed sleep phase syndrome
Delayed sleep-phase syndrome , also known as delayed sleep-phase disorder or delayed sleep-phase type , is a circadian rhythm sleep disorder, a chronic disorder of the timing of sleep, peak period of alertness, the core body temperature rhythm, hormonal and other daily rhythms, compared to the...
. It has been suggested that 'circadian rhythm can change over the course of a lifetime so that a onetime early riser becomes a night owl later on (or vice versa)'. Light therapy
Light therapy
Light therapy or phototherapy consists of exposure to daylight or to specific wavelengths of light using lasers, light-emitting diodes, fluorescent lamps, dichroic lamps or very bright, full-spectrum light, usually controlled with various devices...
may be helpful 'if you are the night owl type...[to] shift your sleep rhythm so that you can fall asleep sooner in the evening and wake up earlier in the morning'.
Often in a work context, 'night people are viewed as lazy, undisciplined, unpunctual or as having an attitude problem...Night people have been speaking out against this bias, though, until recently, mainly in a humorous vein'. However 'in January 2007, night owls in Denmark began a serious push for change. They formed the "B-Society"', arguing that the early bird model was inappropriate for a post-agricultural world, and 'attracting the support of trade unions, politicians, and policy-makers interested in making a more flexible workplace'.
Others would celebrate the status of night-owl. 'As one of the night people, I realized I was among the select....We have the world to ourselves'. 'Blessed are the owls, for they shall inherit the mystery and magic of the night'.
Prevalence
Discussions and studies about the prevalence of morning, evening and indifferent or intermediate chronotypeChronotype
Chronotype is an attribute of animals, including human beings, reflecting at what time of the day their physical functions are active, change or reach a certain level...
s use different criteria and come to different results. Some ask what time people do go to sleep and wake up—others ask what time people would prefer to. A survey of over 400 adults showed approximately 15% morning people, 25% evening people, and 60% intermediates.
Famous and literary exemplars
A list of famous night owls includes:- Florence KingFlorence KingFlorence Virginia King is an American novelist, essayist and columnist.While her early writings focused on the American South and those who live there, much of King's later work has been published in National Review...
- Fran LebowitzFran Lebowitz-Life:Born and raised in Morristown, New Jersey, Lebowitz is best known for her sardonic social commentary on American life as filtered through her New York sensibilities. Some reviewers have called her a modern-day Dorothy Parker...
- Hunter S. ThompsonHunter S. ThompsonHunter Stockton Thompson was an American journalist and author who wrote The Rum Diary , Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas and Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail '72 .He is credited as the creator of Gonzo journalism, a style of reporting where reporters involve themselves in the action to...
- Adolf HitlerAdolf HitlerAdolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , commonly referred to as the Nazi Party). He was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and head of state from 1934 to 1945...
during World War II slept from about 4AM to 10AM then napped during the hours of about 5-7PM and repeat.
- Winston ChurchillWinston ChurchillSir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, was a predominantly Conservative British politician and statesman known for his leadership of the United Kingdom during the Second World War. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest wartime leaders of the century and served as Prime Minister twice...
- James JoyceJames JoyceJames Augustine Aloysius Joyce was an Irish novelist and poet, considered to be one of the most influential writers in the modernist avant-garde of the early 20th century...
- Marcel ProustMarcel ProustValentin Louis Georges Eugène Marcel Proust was a French novelist, critic, and essayist best known for his monumental À la recherche du temps perdu...
- Joseph StalinJoseph StalinJoseph Vissarionovich Stalin was the Premier of the Soviet Union from 6 May 1941 to 5 March 1953. He was among the Bolshevik revolutionaries who brought about the October Revolution and had held the position of first General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union's Central Committee...
- Keith RichardsKeith RichardsKeith Richards is an English musician, songwriter, and founding member of the Rolling Stones. Rolling Stone magazine said Richards had created "rock's greatest single body of riffs", and placed him as the "10th greatest guitarist of all time." Fourteen songs written by Richards and songwriting...
- Elvis PresleyElvis PresleyElvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
- Andrew StantonAndrew StantonAndrew Stanton is an American film director, screenwriter, producer, and occasional voice actor based at Pixar Animation Studios. His film work includes writing and directing Finding Nemo and WALL-E; both films earned him the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature.-Life and career:Stanton was...
- Van CliburnVan CliburnHarvey Lavan "Van" Cliburn Jr. is an American pianist who achieved worldwide recognition in 1958 at age 23, when he won the first quadrennial International Tchaikovsky Piano Competition in Moscow, at the height of the Cold War....
For Robert Louis Stevenson
Robert Louis Stevenson
Robert Louis Balfour Stevenson was a Scottish novelist, poet, essayist and travel writer. His best-known books include Treasure Island, Kidnapped, and Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde....
, 'there is a romance about all those who are abroad in the black hours'.
In Jayne Ann Krentz
Jayne Ann Krentz
Jayne Ann Krentz, née Jayne Castle is an American writer of romance novels. Krentz is the author of a string of New York Times bestsellers under seven different pseudonyms. Now, she only uses three names. As Jayne Ann Krentz she writes contemporary romantic-suspense. She uses Amanda Quick for her...
's Truth or Dare, 'Arcadia and Harry were both creatures of the night. They managed to appear oddly stylish at one-thirty in the morning'. When Arcadia's life is threatened, Harry suggests they immediately contact their friendly neighbourhood P. I., only for Arcadia to object: '"It's one-thirty a.m. He and Zoe will be sound asleep." "Not our fault those two keep weird hours"'.