Christian view on "night owl" life?

[EvangelineRenoir]

I dunno if this has bee discussed yet but... I'm curious if anyone has any opinion on the "night owl" lifestyle.
The Bible talks about rising early and everything, but I personally feel like I work better at night? Everyone around me keeps saying it's just habit, but secular sources would say that some people have a natural predisposition to function better at night. Any thoughts?

 

[Mii]

Am curious to hear opinions also. I feel guilty for sleeping in, always have.

I so appreciate the night time though. I'll think about it. There's quite a few scriptures about it, I just have to find them.

Definitely know being a lover of sleep is a "no" as per scripture. I'll get back to ya, good topic.

 

[Hazelelponi]

I think in a farming lifestyle rising early is equal to not being lazy..

But humans in large part are no longer living the same lifestyle.. work can be had any hour of the day or night, and staying up nights doesn't equate to laziness so I would say there's nothing wrong with it in our day..

I get up early, usually around 4 am and so go to bed early but I developed those sleep habits specifically due to farming and a life that surrounded the care of animals on top of everything else..

for most, that type of life doesn't pertain, so I don't think those verses would apply to just anyone, especially those who can work at night..

 

[maxwel]

I think in a farming lifestyle rising early is equal to not being lazy.

I think that's the answer.

I think you need to stick to whatever schedule is required by your work.

Beyond that, I can't see that it matters.

..

 

[tourist]

I think that's the answer.

I think you need to stick to whatever schedule is required by your work.

Beyond that, I can't see that it matters.

..

In Florida it's a 24/7/365 day world. I agree with your estimation.

 

[Subhumanoidal]

Been a night owl my whole life.
Some people may be predisposed to it but that's generally considered die to your circadian rhythms being off.
It is generally considered healthier to sleep at night, though. At least the last I heard on the topic. Newer studies may show something else.

 

[EvangelineRenoir]

That's what I thought too, that surely there can be allowances made because modern society is quite different than the life of the Biblical era.

But then I often get responses such as "no smoking is also not in the Bible, but you shouldn't amoke because it's not healthy"

 

[ArtsieSteph]

Seems like I’ve had a bit of everything. I’ve been an early riser, a stay up til 3AMer, and a constant napper.

But I know that I’ve always been more proactive and happy when I wake early and go to bed early.

 

[Lanolin]

I dunno if this has bee discussed yet but... I'm curious if anyone has any opinion on the "night owl" lifestyle.
The Bible talks about rising early and everything, but I personally feel like I work better at night? Everyone around me keeps saying it's just habit, but secular sources would say that some people have a natural predisposition to function better at night. Any thoughts?

What kind of work are you doing just wondering.

As someone who once suffered insomnia it can be distressing to not just me but others when there sleep deprivation.

In the Bible it does talk about christians being of the light not the dark. Will try and find the reference but there is something about it. I think there is something to it and if you do happen to be up all night make sure you doing something worthwhile or praying rather than any works of darkness. Many sinful activities only occur at night under cover of darkness.

I know entertainers etc might have this lifestyle. As do bakers and chefs and anyone who 'loves the nightlife' but you could get into a whole subculture of vampires type people who never see or appreciate the sun.

 

[SoulWeaver]

Psalms 127:2 It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows: for so he giveth his beloved sleep.
This is an example where rising up early is motivated by obsession for monetary gain or something to that extent, so it is a bad thing, or staying late, probably to worry from how it's worded. The Psalmist talks completely differently when the staying late and rising early is to spend time with God in "night watches". So it shouldn't be taken that literal rising up early is necessarily a godly thing, and vice versa. Seems it's bad if you're being too wrapped up with daily life and concerns.
When you pull "early" thought out the Bible, you find that "rising early" also packs spiritual meaning, besides expounding wisdom on practical living like Proverbs:
Psalms 57:8 Awake up, my glory; awake, psaltery and harp: I myself will awake early.

Sin is compared in the Bible to drunken stupor, sleep and slumber. Repentance from sin and being mindful of God is like waking up from that unresponsive slumber. The Bible is using these things from physical life as examples to illustrate spiritual life. Waking up early has to do being spiritually awake and alive, to reality of God, and unto God. "Early" could be taken in that meaning as "without tarrying, now, quickly" or "fervently, earnestly". Such as we can draw from the context here with much more certainty:

Proverbs 8:17 I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me.

It's obviously not about praying at 4am, but that a fervent seeker of God is a guaranteed winner. A fervent seeker is bound to have an intense prayer life, though. I would contest that "early" here is not about time of the day, and that God is telling us something else here.

Mark 14:37 And he cometh, and findeth them sleeping, and saith unto Peter, Simon, sleepest thou? couldest not thou watch one hour? 38 Watch ye and pray, lest ye enter into temptation. The spirit truly is ready, but the flesh is weak.
Revelation 16:15 Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments,(...)

 

[TheLearner]

I dunno if this has bee discussed yet but... I'm curious if anyone has any opinion on the "night owl" lifestyle.
The Bible talks about rising early and everything, but I personally feel like I work better at night? Everyone around me keeps saying it's just habit, but secular sources would say that some people have a natural predisposition to function better at night. Any thoughts?

Military, Police, Nurses, and in the Bible Watchman were busy at night. There is no problem with doing your work or whatever at night.

Genesis 14:15 That night he and his men made a surprise attack against the enemy. They defeated them and chased them to Hobah, north of Damascus.

 

[Lynx]

Fish kinda like the water
And that's just where they want to be
And a monkey kinda digs bananas
So he hangs in the top of the tree
But my eyes were made for darkness
So the night time is right for me

Most folks like the daytime
Cause they like to see the shining sun
They're up in the morning
Off and a-running
Too tired for having fun
But when the sun goes down and the bright lights shine
My daytime has just begun!

Cause I'm a night owl honey
Sleep all day long
Yeah I'm a night owl honey
I sleep all day long

Now there are two sides to this great big world
And one of them is always night
If you can take care of business in the sunshine, baby
I guess you're gonna be alright
Don't go looking for me to give you a hand
Cause my eyes just can't stand the light

Cause I'm a night owl honey
Sleep all day long
Yeah I'm a night owl honey
I sleep all day long

 

[laughingheart]

I'm a night owl as evidenced by me writing at this time of night. I find that myself and my creatively geared friends tend to come alive when we should be winding down. I can get up at whatever time I need but night time is when I get to sit back from my duties. When my son was little and my husband traveled, I did everything. There was no "me" time. The evening was when I could read, create, imagine and just be. I didn't want to go to bed because I could lose myself it colour, patterns, textiles and creation. I would sculpt figures, make jewelry, design and make rugs, or multimedia pine needle baskets. It allowed me to feel that life was more than food prep., cooking, serving, cleaning, house cleaning, laundry, over and over again. I adored my time with my son. That was and is a highlight in my life. The night time became the window where I could talk with friends about science fiction, the space program, writing, social justice or anything else that still made me feel like me. Being a night owl was a continuation from waking up for the baby and having a creative space. There is no good or bad. It is what worked for me and who I am.
Now, if being a night owl is causing problems for you or the people around you then it needs to be addressed. If you are too tired at work or school, if you are falling asleep in front of the TV and neglecting your spouse, causing them to feel alone, then it is a problem. Only the individual knows why they do what they do and the consequences. Now it is time for me to go nightie night.

 

[EvangelineRenoir]

What kind of work are you doing just wondering.

As someone who once suffered insomnia it can be distressing to not just me but others when there sleep deprivation.

I'm a freelance illustrator. I do have work in the day, but it starts later in the day (past noon), so I tend to go to bed like 2 AM and then wake up at 10 or so.
It's not insomnia, because it's not that I can't sleep. I just feel like I can focus better at night. I do have sleepless nights occasionally, but very rarely.

The complaints my family have against this that it's not "normal" by society's standard. Because "everyone else" wakes up in the day and go to bed at night. They did mention health concerns, though I don't remember what their claim for health concerns is.

 

[Lanolin]

I'm a freelance illustrator. I do have work in the day, but it starts later in the day (past noon), so I tend to go to bed like 2 AM and then wake up at 10 or so.
It's not insomnia, because it's not that I can't sleep. I just feel like I can focus better at night. I do have sleepless nights occasionally, but very rarely.

The complaints my family have against this that it's not "normal" by society's standard. Because "everyone else" wakes up in the day and go to bed at night. They did mention health concerns, though I don't remember what their claim for health concerns is.

Creative types can keep their own hours but if its disturbing others sleep you might have to do some adjusting. My dad used to work evenings for a newspaper and then evening shifts at the post. He would get home round 1am and then sleep but was always up before 9am to do his weather report.

When I started getting insomnia I think it was just in some ways in part because of dad being a night owl but for mum that was disturbing HER i think as long as you being quiet and not waking anyone else up I dont think it should be a problem.

Many writers write at night too. Its not because its dark but because they are less disturbed and can focus better. The reason my dad gave for working at night was because the traffic was easier. But when I wanted to do an evening job mum was like no thats not normal. Its really come down to someone elses schedule is disrupted. We all know babies ought to sleep right through the night and never wake us up to be fed but does that really happen well NO. I think that my mum didnt quite understand that.

When i heard that other mums would sing lullubys and pray with their children and read bed time stories then Tuck them in I was like what? I dont remember my mum ever doing that with me. Lol