This is a message received by Night Owl Network from a night owl who

just discovered the website. It expresses the feelings and experiences

of many night owls.

Oh my!  You mean I am actually normal!? And okay?  And that some people just
really are night owls?...and just biologically made that way?  Like, it's
natural?!  And it's just the way some people ARE?

I have always felt like it was shameful!  I try to hide it.  I feel like I
need 8-10 hours sleep...but I always do better if I can "sleep in"...and
seem to need less hours of sleep the later I go to bed,.....if I wake up
"too early" I really do feel "not well" until later in the day.  I can
almost always stay up well past midnight and be very productive, easily.
But I feel guilty about it.  I feel guilty for "sleeping in late".   But I
just can NOT get up early.  Even if I go to bed early.   I wish I could just
sleep "in" without the guilt attached to it.  It feels like the whole rest
of the world looks down on someone who has to sleep "late", and stays up
late.  I almost never need a nap though.  I think it's funny how "early
birds" take naps all afternoon, yet pride themselves at getting up
with/before the sun.  I don't like naps, and usually feel worse with a nap
and not better.  When I'm up, I'm up!, for the whole day.  (Unless I have to
wake up early...then I am in a fog and hurting until later in the day).  But
doing so does seem to mess me up for a couple days.  I seem to have to take
it easy on myself and sleep and get back to feeling normal.  I do love the
sunrise and the quiet of the morning...but it hurts to get up that early.
But I do just fine if I can sleep late.  For some reason I pick up speed at
night....all the sudden I'm ready for a project, or to visit, or to go
somewhere or get something done.  I feel like I could stay up forever.  If
I'm tired, I can push myself to stay up...but it is almost impossible to
push myself to get up early.  I'd like to change.  And have always felt
guilty or that I'm doing something wrong to not be able to change.  Even it
is normal and okay to be a night owl, and even if some people are made that
way....i'd rather be an early bird....being a night owl for some reason just
doesn't fit into and isn't accepted in this world that is prideful to be
early birds.  

Kim