Stay up late and get things done, or keep the "normal" sleeping hours?

I've got this huge problem that I almost have to stay up late in the night to get things done and to keep my creativity flowing. I'm not sure why, but the late hours in the night is when I get all my ideas and that's when I'm able to really work.

I've been trying to get up in the morning now for a few months, but recently I went back to sleeping in the day and stay up in the night, and it makes a huge difference. The only problem is my parents and friends who think it's "weird" to be awake these hours and not keeping the "normal" hours.

One of my friends is a programmer, and he almost always stays up late and sleep to like 4 in the afternoon. I think he has the same "problem" as me, and it seems to work for him...

I guess that some of you does the same? How are you solving it? Are you trying to keep the socially accepted sleeping times or are you just not giving a shit and go by your own "productivity hours"?

Cheers

I have a very good reason for that.
Night time is when everything is peaceful and calm. That's why you can concentrate better. Infact I'm a douche bag in the morning hours. I study from 12:00 to 4:30 in the night. Although I have some problems like a certain person always snoring, it's better than the morning.
My parents and my friends call me nocturnal. But who cares, at least I get my work done.

Man, who cares, work whenever you want, wherever you like.

I always go to sleep at 4:00 - 5:00 AM and get up at 12:00 when I don't go to college.

Other days are similar, I prefer to work at night too, I sleep 6-7 hours and it's enough.

When my mom and sister complained about late night working, I moved PC and all the things in my room so no one can disturb me.

lakim0 said:

Man, who cares, work whenever you want, wherever you like.

I always go to sleep at 4:00 - 5:00 AM and get up at 12:00 when I don't go to college.

Other days are similar, I prefer to work at night too, I sleep 6-7 hours and it's enough.

When my mom and sister complained about late night working, I moved PC and all the things in my room so no one can disturb me.

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Cheers from a fellow nocturnal being.

being an IMer everyone is going to think ur weird because they have never met anyone else that does what we do..

pick the hrs that is best for you. if you cant focus and work during the day then sleep and work at night.

Yeah, speaking as one who spent 20 years never going to the mattress before 4.30am, its a function of youth and freedom, as you age there are other priorities, so just do it, also pharms and coffee!!!

I too was working till 3-4 AM, but now I have flipped it and wake up at 4 AM. Early to bed and early to rise. It has been more productive than earlier, but I don't think it'll be same for everyone. However, try to set different times and try working in those times for a week or so and check how it goes. At least that's what I did.

I wouldn't recommend staying up late if you have not done it a long time.

Take me for example... I've always slept at 11-12PM and woke up at 6.30am in the morning.
Just last Friday night, I was at my private office and I decided to stay overnight to complete as much as possible.
As soon as the clock hits 10pm, I beginning to feel sleepy. I took a short nap at my sofa. About 1-2 hours later, I woke up and continued but my production was even slower. Then the clock hit 3am, and I decided to take another short nap... I only planned to have an 1 hour nap but ended up sleeping till 6am.

I continued my work. But this time, for some strange reason, I was super alert and could focus although my eyes were burning a little from the lack of sleep. By the time it was 11am in the morning, I stopped my work and meet up with a friend for lunch and a quick trip to a massage parlor. Next thing I know, when it was only 3pm, I told my friend that I needed to go home to catch a nap.

I reached home around 3.30 and I just bloody knocked out as I sat at my home's sofa doing my work again. I don't even know dafug just happened. I woke up 4-5 hours later, which was about 9pm. I continued working and decided to sleep as normal at around 11pm. I planned to woke up at 6am later (which was last sunday) to go to a cafe to do my work as normal. But ended up waking at 9am. I was feeling very sleepy, yet alert at the same time (from drinking 2 cups of premium coffee at the cafe). As soon as I reached home around 3pm, I knocked out again in my home's sofa.

And yeah, that whole night I was just tired and have to sleep early.

To put it simply after my pointless story, you just gotta sleep as normal IF you have not slept late for a long time.
If you're used to sleeping late.. then by all means go ahead!

So for your case OP, just try to fine tune your waking up time. It's gonna be hard...I tried and succeed (last time), but took weeks to fine tune your waking up time.


Good luck!

I did the same in the beginning of when I started with IM. I could work all night and suddenly I had swapped my sleeping pattern to the opposite. I would wake up at night etc... Wouldn't recommend. Just force yourself to go to bed at normal times. For your health !

I prefer to work at night time
Everybody is sleeping, nobody touches you, great)

I think daylight can be a distraction of its own. During the night you don't get as much sensory input and therefore you can concentrate more.

I somewhat prefer working throughout the night, but I'm not sure if it's because it really is better or if it's just because I got used to staying up late.

Define normal sleeping hours?

Its not a problem bro, your just an Owl. Im the same, there isnt anything wrong with you

I agree on what allot of people are saying here. I definitely stay up till late hours just to get work done, it's true what "RushingWind" said how its more peaceful at night. For me I find myself more productive at night than in the early mornings. Being a graduate I found that allot of students stay up all night and what we call an "all nighter" just to get those last minute work done. But hey I follow a motivational speech that always inspires me, if you havn't seen it,check on YT and type "sacrifice for success - motivational speech" love the quotes he says "if your going to be successful, your going to be willing to give up sleep"... would post the link but I'm not allowed at the moment..

Same here, i'm laser focused after 23, everyday, and i can work up to 2-3 AM finishing all the work.

I guess it depends on your sleeping pattern, i have a year already doing this and feeling more productive than working daily, even if i work for 3-4 hours a day max.

besupreme said:

I agree on what allot of people are saying here. I definitely stay up till late hours just to get work done, it's true what "RushingWind" said how its more peaceful at night. For me I find myself more productive at night than in the early mornings. Being a graduate I found that allot of students stay up all night and what we call an "all nighter" just to get those last minute work done. But hey I follow a motivational speech that always inspires me, if you havn't seen it,check on YT and type "sacrifice for success - motivational speech" love the quotes he says "if your going to be successful, your going to be willing to give up sleep"... would post the link but I'm not allowed at the moment..

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Night shift is the right shift for me. 8-9am to 3-4am (4-6pm nap option) I leave Weekends loose to do up-n-coming task and interact with folks.

It's nice to see so many others like me here

I tend to stay up till 4-5am because it's so easy to work at night when you know everyone around you is asleep. Also being able to wake up anytime I want the next day is nice too! I say just work when you want for as long as it makes you feel happy. If it's not affecting your happiness by doing what you're doing, don't change it.

I take a lot of short power naps during the day (my energy isn't that high until it reaches like 9pm). Not much happening around anyways during the day. Everyone is at their 9-5

The best part about 15 minute power naps during the day time -> they tend to feel like you're dreaming for 1 hour. I love it.

I love staying up late too, but I have a problem where if I do it multiple times in a week, one day I'll just crash and sleep til like 2 or something.