I recently read an article on Discovery News at http://news.discovery.com/human/morning-people-happy-120611.html about how early birds feel happier and healthier than night owls. Well, of course they do. They run the world. Especially here in the southeast United States, where the old rural lifestyle of "up before dawn, down at nightfall" is still alive and well.
Want proof? You should have seen the brouhaha that happened over a year ago when our agency director mandated that at least 2 people in every section had to work until 5PM every day. That might not sound like any big deal to you, but most of our staff comes in at 7AM - 7:30 AM and gets off between 3:30 and 4. And I'm the "late bird" on our staff, coming in at 8AM. People fight for their right to work those early shifts. I know several people that even get up at 4 and 5 in the morning, go to the gym to work out, shower, and come in shining at 7 or 7:30 A.M.
Yes, I think they're insane. Folks, I have 3 birds at home, and I get up before they do 6 days a week, and they aren't exactly squawking when I wake them between 8 and 9 am on Saturdays. Nature doesn't rise before the sun, and I don't understand why humans are so motivated to do so. It simply isn't the rhythem the human body is designed to run on, and yet we are forced to do so for the sake of living in "civilized society," from starting school at 7:40 A.M. (yes, we have schools that ring first bell at 7:40 a.m. around here) to reporting to work at 8AM or earlier (I've known, and still know, people required to report in at 6AM).
I'll follow that by saying that of course the elderly are mostly early risers. That tends to happen when you have 30 years of reconditioning by being forced to rise before the sun to report at work at the crack of dawn.
Needless to say, I am a natural night owl. My energy levels are higher later in the day, and getting up in the mornings is a downright painful experience for me. But alas, the early birds run the world, so I must suffer and conform to their way if I want to be a part of civilized society. I just don't think it's fair that we're forced to rise early for day to day life, and how often are people forced to stay up late? New Year's Eve is the only time I can think of when it's extolled to stay up when artificial light is needed. It used to be that you had to stay up for Christmas Eve midnight services too, but that changed several years ago when the church responded to the outcry of those that thought it was unfair to drive after dark and stay up after 8PM for worship, so they started offering 5pm and 7pm services.
So no, I'm not surprised that early birds are happier and healthier because they've got the world conformed to serve their happiness and health. But it's the night owls that are the creative types. So when you get up at 4 in the morning to hit the gym, remember that the person that read that book you're reading on the treadmill was probably pounding the keyboard to create that brilliant work well past YOUR bedtime.
That's all for today. Take care and have a good week.
Bye!
Want proof? You should have seen the brouhaha that happened over a year ago when our agency director mandated that at least 2 people in every section had to work until 5PM every day. That might not sound like any big deal to you, but most of our staff comes in at 7AM - 7:30 AM and gets off between 3:30 and 4. And I'm the "late bird" on our staff, coming in at 8AM. People fight for their right to work those early shifts. I know several people that even get up at 4 and 5 in the morning, go to the gym to work out, shower, and come in shining at 7 or 7:30 A.M.
Yes, I think they're insane. Folks, I have 3 birds at home, and I get up before they do 6 days a week, and they aren't exactly squawking when I wake them between 8 and 9 am on Saturdays. Nature doesn't rise before the sun, and I don't understand why humans are so motivated to do so. It simply isn't the rhythem the human body is designed to run on, and yet we are forced to do so for the sake of living in "civilized society," from starting school at 7:40 A.M. (yes, we have schools that ring first bell at 7:40 a.m. around here) to reporting to work at 8AM or earlier (I've known, and still know, people required to report in at 6AM).
I'll follow that by saying that of course the elderly are mostly early risers. That tends to happen when you have 30 years of reconditioning by being forced to rise before the sun to report at work at the crack of dawn.
Needless to say, I am a natural night owl. My energy levels are higher later in the day, and getting up in the mornings is a downright painful experience for me. But alas, the early birds run the world, so I must suffer and conform to their way if I want to be a part of civilized society. I just don't think it's fair that we're forced to rise early for day to day life, and how often are people forced to stay up late? New Year's Eve is the only time I can think of when it's extolled to stay up when artificial light is needed. It used to be that you had to stay up for Christmas Eve midnight services too, but that changed several years ago when the church responded to the outcry of those that thought it was unfair to drive after dark and stay up after 8PM for worship, so they started offering 5pm and 7pm services.
So no, I'm not surprised that early birds are happier and healthier because they've got the world conformed to serve their happiness and health. But it's the night owls that are the creative types. So when you get up at 4 in the morning to hit the gym, remember that the person that read that book you're reading on the treadmill was probably pounding the keyboard to create that brilliant work well past YOUR bedtime.
That's all for today. Take care and have a good week.
Bye!
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