The article isn't really telling readers they should be morning people, indeed it starts by saying that it's more or less out of our control. We all have circadian rhythms that determine our preferred sleep cycles and, in extreme cases of morningness (made up word), some people even wake up before it's light because their bodies are telling them they've had enough sleep. (For the life of me, I cannot imagine doing that.)
So, according to the experts, morning people are -
Happier. Well of course they're happier. Have you seen a non-morning person being dragged out of bed at stupid o' clock? Ruins my entire day it does. I'd just like to see a morning person past 9pm. How happy are they then? Ah yes; shoe's on the other foot now isn't it?
Get better grades. Well the article suggests that college students who go to bed early and don't stay out all night do better in tests etc. Not exactly rocket science there. They should take a look at mature students with mature brains, who go to bed at a decent time and don't pull all nighters trying to hand their work in. I'll bet their grades are just fine.
They don't hit "Snooze". Duh - of course they don't hit "snooze", but if they did, what's wrong with that? Unless of course it's going to make you late for work/school etc. This one I find totally judgmental and befitting the morning person stereotype I mentioned above.
They're more productive in the morning. I'm not even going to comment on this blindingly obvious statement except to say that I'm WAY more productive from about noon on.
They're more conscientious - Hmmm. Perhaps they just appear more conscientious because they're bouncing around all over the place. Just because I can't hold a conversation before 8am doesn't mean I'm a slacker.
They may be nicer. What? How very dare you. Apparently they may be less likely to possess some of the Dark Triad characteristics of night owls. (Now I'm going to have to read about this and possibly write a follow up post aren't I?)
I'm also of the opinion that not-morningness (another made up word) is genetic because my ten year old can sleep for ten hours and still wake up groggy. The other morning I said "Why are you tired, you went to bed at 8.30pm?" His response? "Mom (obviously his patience was sorely tried) I'm tired because it's morning."
Apple doesn't fall far from the tree.
I'm with you - those morning people irritate the life out of me! Clearly, I should have thought of that before I married my husband.
ReplyDeleteHa ha me too! Not a morning person. Is there anything worse than when you're on holiday at a B&B and the guests and proprietor try and make smalltalk with you before you've had the requisite 3 cups of coffee? The sad thing is I'm not an evening person either. I'm great in the afternoons though. Sharp as a tack.
ReplyDeleteI'm a "born-again" morning person. I enjoyed being a not-a-morning-person for many years (who doesn't like a good lie-in?) but then circumstances conspired (long story) to make me a morning person. I used to get up at 5 (that's AM for you night owls) but since my 'retirement' I've slacked off a bit and now I get up at 5:30.
ReplyDeleteMy wife is't a morning person, though, so that keeps me grounded.
Well this can be tricky.
ReplyDeleteI married a morning person and considered I was the opposite.
Husband falls asleep in his chair misses all the good programmes on TV.
With age, sleeping patterns change. I wake up in the early hours whether I want to or not. Husband sleeps all evening and gets up at seven now. However it used to be 5 am so that's a bit of an improvement.
Not sure what I am now. I'm awake until 11.30 pm and get up at 7am though I'm awake before that!
Maggie x
Nuts in May
Ugh, Mike, 5.30? *Shudders*
ReplyDeleteI'm not anti-morning. I wake up about 7ish, though I'm not really human until about 8.30. But after that I'm pretty good until about, ooh, 1pm? That's a whole 4 hrs 30 of productiveness which I think you'll have to agree is not at all bad.
My husband is a "morning person". By 6 AM he has exercised, showered, meditated, and drunk his morning coffee. I am not a morning person - but I have perfected the art of getting up and dressed, feeding the animals, making my lunch, walking the dog and getting out of the door in time to meet the school bus.. in 23 minutes. I start to wake up when I get to work 30 minutes later.
ReplyDeleteImpressive Faith. I can move fairly quickly once I"m up but would rather not get up when I currently have to - 7am. My ideal schedule would be waking up at 8 or 9, then I wouldn't feel like I have to be in bed by 10.30pm.
ReplyDeleteAnd Mike- I. Can't. Even. Comprehend.
My husband is a morning person. He gets up VOLUNTARILY at 6am at the latest. He is clever though, he knows better than to wake me before 7.30am and brings a cup of tea to soften the blow. The worst part is, he still does it when we are on holiday, when I am dreaming of 10am lie-ins. He brings me a coffee every 45 mins in an attempt to get me up and going. I too need three coffees before I can function.
ReplyDeleteI'm definitely a morning person, in that I'm an early riser. However, the fact that I do nothing in the two hours in which I am up before the rest of the world, except slouch over the computer, perhaps doesn't put me in the same bracket as the rest of those over-achievers.
ReplyDeleteThe only reason I get up early is that I hate to rush (or be rushed) and I hate to be late. I don't *like* getting up early, but I do it so that the trajectory of my morning is smooth. I'm certainly not very productive - or chatty - at 5.30am though. It takes me a good hour to get to the point where I feel like interacting with anyone.
ReplyDeleteIt's we night owls who stood the night watches and kept the fires burning so those morning folks could get up and make us breakfast.
ReplyDeleteAmerica is morning people country, I have realised. Everything starts at least an hour earlier than it would do in Britain, and consequently it ends earlier too! ;)
ReplyDelete