Why Am I More Productive at Night?

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We all have many preferences as to when we do our work, and it’s quite fascinating how everyone works best at different times of the day.

You’ve probably thrown a confused and annoyed look at your friend who wakes up at 4 AM to head to the gym, or perhaps they’ve given you the incredulous looks every now and then when you’re active at midnight writing a thesis paper.

It makes more sense to be more active early in the morning, I mean, that’s when everything and everyone wakes up, right?

So why is it that we’re more productive at night? The time when everyone is supposed to go to sleep?

Vincent Van Gogh, a world-famous artist, and painter, proclaimed that “the night is more alive and more richly colored than the day,” and in this article, we’ll find out exactly why that is so true.

Night Owls

If you know about early birds, chances are you’ve heard about night owls.

And when you pay too much attention to the competition between the two, remember that you don’t have to rise up with the sun in order to be truly successful, especially when your most productive time begins at night.

Why fight nature? Studies have shown that being a night owl is something found within people’s DNA, or how their circadian clocks are wired within their genes.

If you have a longer circadian rhythm, you’re most likely a night owl. If you have a shorter one, you’re an early riser.

So if you’re still wondering why you’re more productive at night, chances are, it’s simply because you were born that way.

So if you’re a night owl and you’re more productive at night, own it, even when more research shows that early birds have an advantage of a lower risk of certain mental disorders.

Recommended post: The Best Time To Study For Night Owls

Why At Night?

People tend to be more productive at night because it’s when everyone is asleep, and when the world is quiet.

We can focus better without the extra noise from our neighborhood, whether it be honking cars, crying babies, or loud lawnmowers.

Without the distraction of phone calls, texts, or social media, you’re free to concentrate without interruption for hours on end into the night.

Night time is also when your cortisol levels drop in preparation for sleep.

Cortisol is a hormone present during stress. In other words, the more you have it, the more stressed out you are, the more your creative ideas are blocked.

At night, our bodies naturally lower the cortisol levels to let it sleep, and if you take advantage of that at night, you’ll find that you are so much more relaxed doing your tasks at night than during the day.

We mentioned previously that people who are more productive at night are most likely born with a different circadian rhythm, and we’d like to add something more.

It’s something called the “ultradian cycle,” which is a 90-minute period of heightened productivity and focus.

For night owls, their ultradian cycles occur at night, allowing you to feel refreshed and active during the evening. It makes more sense for people to be awake and alert during which their ultradian cycles are naturally active.

And that, ladies and gentlemen, are why we are more productive at night.

The Downsides

As wonderful as being a night owl is, there are limits. Just because you’re more productive at night doesn’t mean it’s healthy or safe for you to stay up until the sun rises the next morning.

Recent studies have found that people who stay up all night have higher levels of body fat and an increased risk of developing other health problems such as diabetes or depression.

Furthermore, staying awake during evening hours often means poor sleeping quality in the long-run, since your mind is actively fighting against the natural production of melatonin with the decreased sunlight.

Melatonin is the hormone responsible for making us feel sleepy, and if your body gets used to overcoming that, it might lessen even more as you get more used to staying up.

So how do we fight this paradox or irony? The key is in balance and great time management.

Finding The Sweet Balance

So now we know why and how we’re more productive at night, how do we do it in a way when we’re not losing sleep?

You’re probably thinking, “It’s fine. I’ll stay up late, do my work, sleep, and wake up late the next day to catch up on sleep.”

Sadly, not everyone has that privilege.

In a daytime normative world, you might need to do errands in the morning or start work early in the day. This means it’s not possible for night owls to sleep in, causing them to lose a lot of precious sleep.

What ends up happening? You sleep late, wake up early, get to work, come home, and sleep late again.

This vicious cycle gives you only about 2-4 hours of sleep at night, and this could cause serious complications for your health.

Here’s the secret to solving that: do everything you need to do at a time slot and leave everything out of your bedtime.

We know that our productivity at night is awesome because of the quiet and the change of hormones in our brains, but it’s also the perfect opportunity for the best sleep in your life.

Set a time when you do the things you need to do or other things you find productive or you enjoy. Then, say, if your bedtime is at 12 am, be committed to putting everything to the side at least an hour before bed.

Don’t think about anything else when you’re trying to sleep. Don’t bring your work or homework to bed. Do something that helps you relax, and give in to sleep.

Let the exhaustion of the creativity and productivity spent flow you to dreamland, and wake up at a reasonable time that gives you enough hours of sleep. 6-8 hours of sleep will do wonders.

Recommended post: How to Wake Up Early and Be Productive

Final Thoughts

It’s fantastic to take advantage of the night when you’re looking to be more productive, and there are certainly perks to it.

Some people are more productive during the mornings, others at night, and it all depends on how their circadian clocks are wired.

But the quiet and dropped cortisol at night sure gives night owls the advantage, eh?

As wonderful as it sounds to enjoy the silence at night, do not sacrifice your precious sleep to achieve that. Your brain is at its best when it is well-rested.

Remember, you don’t need more time in your day. You need to decide.