Winston Churchill, Voltaire, Bob Dylan, Charles Bukowski. What do these men have in common, besides the fact that they were geniuses of politics, art or philosophy? They are famous because they were night owls. Studies show that night owls tend to have higher IQs than people who get up early, and this difference may be due to the fact that there is a link between creative production and the dark hours of the night. However, if you wish to join this elite of people, you need to know that night owls are also more prone to depression than those who wake up early in the morning, so you better try to stay healthy when you switch to this exciting style. of life.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Switching to the Night Owl Lifestyle
Step 1. Go to bed a little later each night and wake up a little later in the morning
The best way to start having a night owl life is to do it gradually. Unless you are in a hurry, you should try to go to bed and wake up 15-30 minutes later each day until you have reached your ideal bedtime. Night owls generally go to bed between midnight and five in the morning, although you can choose your preferred time to go to sleep. The most important thing is to find a convenient rhythm and keep it once you have reached the ideal times to fall asleep and wake up in the morning.
- In fact, it's just as important to go to bed and wake up around the same time, so you get 7-8 hours of sleep, which is the amount of time you need to rest each night. If your sleep patterns are irregular, sleeping eight hours a night won't make you feel rested.
- Once you have established your routine, your mind will get used to the new energy cycle and be able to work more efficiently.
Step 2. Schedule some naps if you can't wake up late
If you have to wake up at a certain time each morning but are determined to go to bed later, then you should make sure you catch up on the sleep lost during the day. Taking naps longer than thirty minutes may actually make you wake up more tired, but if you take a 10-15 minute nap or two during the day, after lunch, or in the late afternoon, then you will be able to get enough rest.
Some argue that 10 minutes of intense meditation can equate to an hour of sleep. If you intend to become a night owl but are forced to get up early in the morning, consider doing meditation in the morning. All it takes is to close your eyes, keep your body still and focus on your breath, letting all distractions fade away
Step 3. Give yourself a little quiet so you won't have a hard time falling asleep
Of course, switching to the night owl lifestyle involves going to sleep later, but you should still set a time to relax before bed. It is advisable to avoid visual stimuli, including the telephone, computer and television, at least an hour before bedtime so that the mind begins to prepare for sleep. Before bed, relax by doing some light reading, drinking chamomile tea and listening to soft music, so you can enter the world of dreams in no time.
If you watch YouTube videos for hours and try to go to bed right after, your mind will still be at 100 per hour
Step 4. Tell friends and family about your pace
It is important to let the people you live with, but also your friends, know that you are making a change in your lifestyle. That way, your parents or flatmates will avoid making too much noise in the morning, won't expect you to join them for a late morning snack, and will try to respect your lifestyle. If you live alone, it can be helpful to let friends you hang out with about your decision so they don't call you, knock on your door early, and don't email you at seven in the morning expecting an immediate response.
Friends and family may also agree to go out with you later in the evening, as they know you stay up late
Step 5. Find a job that matches your lifestyle
If you truly intend to become a night owl, then you need to find a way to work or study in harmony with your lifestyle. You could work for an international company that has a completely different time zone, so you can communicate with your colleagues and get work done in the middle of the night. You could also become a writer, a blogger, or have an employment contract that doesn't involve tight schedules, as long as you get what you need to do. If you go to college, you can establish a study schedule that allows you to be productive at night and get up in time for exams.
If you work in an art industry, such as painting, photography, design, or theater, then you can create, practice, rehearse, develop photos, or do much of your work at night. In fact, it may even be easier because you will have fewer interruptions
Part 2 of 3: Taking Advantage of the Night Owl Lifestyle
Step 1. Enjoy the quiet while everyone else is asleep
One of the main benefits of being a night owl is that the world sleeps while you work. If you live alone or with a roommate, you will have the feeling that the world is calmer and that it has slowed down to an extent that allows you to catch your breath and get to work. Looking out the window, you will find that only a few lights remain on in the surroundings and you will have a sense of calm and peace.
- You can take advantage of this quiet, this moment away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life, to do whatever you want.
- You can find inspiration, do some work, talk to fellow night owls or just hang out in the living room and read a newspaper. Take advantage of the fact that no one is bothering you and that you can do whatever you want, without any hindrance.
Step 2. Use your appliances at night - it's even cheaper
If you intend to be a real nocturnal animal, one thing you can do is use the dishwasher, oven, and other appliances that most people use during the day. If you have a washer and dryer, you can also do laundry at night. Not only can you use them without having to adjust to the times of others living in the house with you, but you can also save money.
Review the rates of the provider that provides you with the electricity service to find out the times when it is cheapest to use appliances
Step 3. Get as much space in your house as you can
If you don't live alone, you can use times when everyone else is asleep to be in different parts of the house. Maybe you can finally relax in the living room alone without being interrupted or take advantage of the study that is normally used by your flatmates. You can go out on the balcony or in the garden to enjoy the fresh air. You will also be able to cook, perhaps to prepare some dishes for the next day, without carousing until late at night.
- Think about it: where in the house would you like to be during the day, when there are others too? Take advantage of these moments to spend them in that place.
- You can also do some yoga or a giant puzzle in a room that is usually busy. Take advantage of the fact that you are the king of the castle when it is dark outside.
Step 4. Take note of your creative ideas
The night is the privileged time for night owls to get to work in some artistic activity. If you are a creative person, a science fiction writer, a visual artist, a painter or a composer, you can use this moment to get to work. Find a quiet space, play some light music, if it helps your concentration, light a candle, just think about your work and write down everything that goes through your head without logic or distractions. Perhaps it will be important to avoid the Internet or the computer in general to get the right concentration on the job you have set for yourself.
- You probably won't be used to working with pen and paper instead of a computer, but it may be necessary to find inspiration. If you do your "real work" on the computer, then it can also be a nice way to separate creative from daytime activity.
- Some business people actually recommend leaning on the kitchen counter at night and treating this point as an "idea bar" where new ideas can be generated, instead of sitting like everyone else normally does.
Step 5. Focus on one project at a time
Another useful thing in your night owl lifestyle is that you won't have to deal with the many distractions of the outside world that come along during the day. You won't get annoying phone calls from telemarketing companies, you won't get the numerous emails from work, and you won't have anyone knocking on your door wondering if you want to buy a vacuum cleaner. Having no distractions, you can choose to focus on one project at a time and make the night hours more productive.
- You can spend a night on a creative project, like bringing a short story to life. You can also spend every night of a week, or a month, actually working on this project. You can even allocate each evening to a different aspect of your work.
- Just don't do a thousand things at once if you want to be really efficient. Of course, this is a great tip to keep in mind during the day as well, but since you're a night owl, it'll be much easier to focus on one project at a time, so take advantage of it.
Step 6. Consider the alternative of dining, working, and going out late at night
While one of the benefits of being a night owl is that you're free to be on your own and work on your projects without distractions, there's nothing wrong with hanging out with other night owls. In reality, since you have chosen to live mainly in the evening hours, you risk living in solitude by spending the whole night completely alone, so you should look for the opportunity to have a snack or a late night dinner (eating healthily) with another nocturnal animal like you, go to some bar open until midnight or even meet up with a friend to take a tour of the clubs when possible. Just because you're a night owl doesn't mean you have to be on your own all the time.
If you know other night owls, ask them where they go at night when they go out. They will surely know some cinemas that show movies until late, nice bars and restaurants or other places where you can always feel part of a community that comes together at night
Step 7. Plan your time according to your energies
Another thing you can do to take advantage of the night owl lifestyle is to follow a program from the start to be as efficient as possible. For example, if you have trouble getting up in the morning and don't feel fully operational until noon, then you don't have to schedule busy meetings or make important decisions before then if you have that option. Instead, do simple things in the morning, like housework or e-mail, and postpone what has some importance and / or artistic value for later.
- You should also know when your energies begin to drop. If, for example, you feel more tired around 2pm or 3pm, then you can plan to take a little revitalizing walk around that time, instead of forcing yourself to slog through a lot of work.
- If, for example, you know you're most productive around 10 p.m. and a friend asks you to see a late-night movie, then it's best to postpone the appointment if you need to wrap up a story you're working on in the evening. It is good to take advantage of the flash of genius to do something useful instead of wasting time on something you can do when you are feeling a little tired or sleepy.
Part 3 of 3: Staying Healthy
Step 1. Avoid eating late at night
One problem that night owls face is the tendency to eat a fourth time during the night. This meal can be a problem, because most people tend to eat when they have a strong desire and when they spend an hour or two in front of the computer or television before falling asleep, risking to burn very few calories after eating something. more. To avoid an entire late night meal, you can schedule dinner after 9pm or 10pm and then have a healthy snack, which can be some almonds, yogurt, or banana if you have a strong desire.
- Of course, if you are a night owl, you can exercise at night. There is no problem working out in the evening, but remember that contrary to popular belief, the adrenaline rushing around will make you less likely to go to bed. If you plan on working out late at night to stay in shape, still make sure that a few hours pass between training and bedtime.
- If you have decided to play sports late, you can see if there is any gym near you that stays open for a long time. You may want to run in the evening, but try to train with someone else or in a place where you are safe, around other people doing the same.
Step 2. Make sure you see sunlight
If you are a night owl, you will probably go a long time without seeing the sun. While it is not necessary to be outdoors all day to get your daily dose of vitamin D, sunlight is important to protect you from the risk of many diseases, such as heart disease, osteoporosis, breast cancer, etc.. The sun can at the same time help you with insomnia, depression and promote the development of a strong immune system.
- Even if you wake up in the middle of the day, it is good to spend at least 10 minutes in the sun a day, exposing your skin, if you want to stay healthy.
- Even if the sun is not visible, it is important to stay outside for at least half an hour, if possible, to stay healthy both physically and mentally.
Step 3. Talk to other night owls to avoid isolating yourself
While one of the benefits of being a night owl is that you can get a job done without being distracted, the downside is that you risk spending a lot of time alone. In itself, that's not a bad thing, but it's important to socialize and be around people at least a couple of times a day. This way you can stay healthy and you won't feel alone in the world.
- If you know other night owls who have similar interests to yours, try talking to them at night, when you need to take a short break from work or your artwork, so that you can exchange some ideas. Whether it's talking on the phone, chatting, or meeting someone in person, it's important to keep in touch with others whenever possible.
- Of course, it may not be possible to date someone you know every single day of your life. However, if you want to avoid feeling isolated, try to leave the house at least twice a day and talk to people, even if it's just a chat with the person sitting next to you at the bar or talking to the girl who works at the deli counter. Even the smallest human interactions can be a big thing for mental health.
Step 4. Try to stand upright when you work
If you are a night owl then you will be inclined to spend most of the night sitting at your computer or in front of the television. You should also try to spend some time on your feet to stay healthy and keep your back straight. A standing desk can work wonders on your health and keep you passionate about what you do. While sitting, you risk hunching your shoulders, injuring your arms, back and neck, and as a result you will feel less motivated to get your job done. While you don't need to be on your feet all the time, you can try at least for a couple of hours every night to break the routine.
To stand up, you don't need a height-adjustable desk or work on a computer. However, instead of sitting, you can do things like talk on the phone or just think out loud and come up with creative ideas
Step 5. Make sure you get enough sleep
Night owls are notorious for not getting enough sleep. They can stay up late into the night and then get up early enough, hoping some soda will keep them awake. If you want to be a true night owl and stay healthy, then you don't have to fall into this trap, but create a life that allows you to stay up late, rest and get enough sleep.
If you have times that require you to get up early, you need to seriously consider whether it will pay off to become a night owl. If you are determined in this, then you will have to look for a way to change your rhythms and then wake up later
Step 6. Don't consume too much caffeine
It has been shown that night owls typically drink more caffeine than early risers. While drinking some can help kickstart your day, too much can cause you to crash, get a headache, and hinder your productivity. People who have a more traditional pace of life should avoid consuming caffeine after noon in order to be able to fall asleep more easily in the evening. If you stay up past midnight, then avoid it after 3pm, otherwise you will stay up longer than necessary and feel nervous when trying to go to bed.
- Limit yourself to one or two caffeinated sodas a day. They can give you the right boost, but not that much if you get addicted.
- If you feel the effect of caffeine for most of the day, you can try replacing your usual coffee with a low theine tea. It will make you feel less nervous and can also lead to less stomach damage.
- Avoid energy drinks as much as possible. While they can initially give you a strong energy boost, keep in mind that they are very sugary and can cause problems later on.
Advice
- It is helpful to have night owl friends to hang out with.
- For one reason or another, it can be difficult to exercise and maintain a healthy diet when it's dark outside.
- Drink a Monster Energy or other energy drink to help you stay awake if you feel tired.
Warnings
- It's best to keep this lifestyle during the summer when you don't have to go to school. It is not recommended to fall asleep in class and get bad grades.
- If you live with your parents (or guardians), make sure they approve of this lifestyle.
