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What’s a night owl? -

First things first, a night owl is someone who naturally stays up late and feels their best later in the day. They have a hard time staying alert during the day, and have generally more energy at night.

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Pro: night owls are generally more productive -

Though both night owls and early birds perform similarly toward the beginning of their work days, night owls are able to stay productive for longer.

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Pro: night owls may perform better after being awake for 10 hours -

According to reaction tests by AsapScience, one hour after waking, early birds and night owls perform equally. Ten hours after waking, however, night owls perform significantly better than morning people in similar tests.

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Con: night owls may be at risk of sleep deprivation -

Staying awake well into the night and having to wake up early for work can be a big issue for nigh owls, which can put them at risk of sleep deprivation.

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Pro: night owls might be more intelligent -

There has been extensive research done on the intelligence of late risers. A study at the London School of Economics and Political Science found that the brightest students had both later bedtimes and wake times, while those students with low-to-average intellectual ability went to bed earlier and had an earlier wake-up as well.

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Pro: night owls are more creative -

A study conducted by the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart in Milan showed that those with a tendency for staying up late exhibited more creativity.

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Con: family and social life is disrupted -

A big disadvantage for night owls is that family and social life gets disrupted. This is basically because they're following a routine that's the complete opposite.

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Pro: bonding with other night owls -

With fewer activities at night, you can spend your time bonding with other night owls, be it by bouncing off ideas with each other or diving deep into personal talks.

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Pro: night owls are more focused -

Research has shown that night owls can remain focused on tasks longer and better than their morning counterparts.

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Con: it’s too quiet -

Every sigh and footstep gets amplified. You don’t want to wake up your roommates or family members when heading to the kitchen for a midnight snack.

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Pro: night owls learn to be flexible -

As the world runs around a morning person’s schedule, night owls welcome changes in their usual habit to accommodate this lifestyle.

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Pro: night owls are ready for urgent tasks -

When it comes to work, night owls can meet urgent, early morning deadlines without having to wake up first thing in the morning.

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Con: night owls are more depressed -

Night owls tend to be more prone to a general sense of mental instability, where depression is the most common trait. This is often due to a phenomenon called social jet lag, when your biological needs don’t match with societal norms.

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Pro: night owls have special strength -

One study from the University of Alberta tested the leg strength of night owls and early birds at different times throughout the day. It found that the strength of morning people remained stable throughout the day, while night owls showed a burst of strength in the evening.

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Pro: night owls have time for hobbies - While everyone is sleeping, night owls find time to work on their skills. Whether it’s writing, reading, playing video games, and so on, night owls have the extra time to enjoy their hobbies.

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Con: your loved ones might be sleeping -

The night can be lonely, especially if friends and family are early birds. There might be things to share, but that has to wait for at least another eight hours.

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Pro: night owls have better reasoning skills -

A study from the University of Madrid tested the various skills of 1,000 teenagers, and found that those considered to be night owls scored the highest on the inductive reasoning portions of the test. Inductive reasoning is a way of thinking that creates conclusions based upon a group of true facts.

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Pro: night owl parents are ready for around-the-clock duty -

For night owl parents, their circadian rhythm might be the strength they didn’t anticipate, especially when dealing with newborns at night. Night owl tendencies will also prove to be an asset later in parenthood, when illness and other demands of the child strike.

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Con: creativity doesn't come when it’s needed -

A night owl might be exhausted from the night before, and struggles to think of ideas the next day. They might stare blankly at a screen or canvas, unable to harness their creative potential.

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Pro: it’s quiet -

As the streets are empty and social media slows down, late nights are the perfect time to unwind with a book or catch up on some work.

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Pro: night owls can stay out later -

While the early risers are ready to call it a night, the fun continues for night owls, as they likely have the energy to meet friends late into the evening.

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Con: health problems -

As the brain is programmed to sleep at night, when that gets disturbed or changed it will make the body feel tired. This can lead to stress and irregular heartbeats. Working late on a computer can also lead to eyestrain.

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Pro: night owls can go the distance mentally -

Morning people might hit the ground running early, but they are also more likely to mentally tire sooner than those that head for bed late at night, staying mentally alert for longer.

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Pro: night owls get more out of their day -

When it comes to work for a freelancing night owl, they get a lot more done without all the daytime distractions. They can also take on more jobs, as they'll be working for longer hours.

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Con: morning plans are a problem -

Night owls wake up early when they have to, so on a day off they tend to spend an extra hour or two (or four...) in bed. So breakfast dates and morning hikes are a foreign concept!

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Pro: night owls have more time to de-stress -

This might sound counter-intuitive, as some would argue that sleep accomplishes this goal more effectively. But for a night owl, they need to unwind before bed, be it by reading or doing a late night yoga.

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Con: night owls struggle with nonwork activities -

While freelancing night owls enjoy the quiet hours of darkened solitude that allow them to do their work in peace, they’re not so lucky when it comes to nonwork activities, especially if they have to deal with things that are not on their schedule.

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Con: night owls are very, very tired -

Night owls may adapt, but at the expense of their comfort. And even if they can function, it won't be at a peak performance. Be ready with plenty of coffee!

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Some tips to consider -

If you're a night owl who's feeling a bit too tired, try to stick to the same sleep schedule, even on weekends and days off. Also, consider how technology is affecting your sleep cycle. 

Sources: (Healthline) (The Healthy) (Insider)

See also: These foods and drinks can help you sleep

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