The Night Owl's Guide: Tips For Late Sleepers

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Many of us recognise ourselves as night owls, as we become active during the evening and struggle to get out of bed in the morning. Whether you’re someone who likes burning the midnight oil by reading or studying at night, or you would like to discover some more tips on how to improve your sleep quality, we have a full informative guide with tips and advice for night owls!

In this guide, we’ll break down the science behind why some people naturally feel more awake at night, with tips on how to manage your sleep timing and create a relaxing sleep environment. We’ll also touch on the best accessories you could use to help you get to sleep quicker, and what makes our products so good for those who stay up late.

Understanding Sleep Cycles: Why Some People Naturally Feel More Awake At Night

Our sleep is broken down into four major stages, the first one being NREM Stage 1, which is the transitional stage between being awake and falling into a lighter sleep, and it is in this stage where you can be easily disturbed. The second stage is NREM Stage 2, where you fall into a deeper relaxation and your heart rate slows. Known as Stage N3, the third sleeping stage is the deepest one, where a lot of our cognitive and bodily repairs take place. In the fourth stage, called REM (rapid eye movement) our brain activity is very high, and it’s the time where dreaming occurs a lot. 

“Night Owls” differ from “early birds” biologically, since their body clock or circadian rhythm tells their brain to wind down and feel sleepier at later times in the night than the early bird. 

So, you might be wondering why some people are naturally night owls, while others get a spike of energy in the morning. Well, it’s been theorised that it’s an evolutionary thing, as studies suggest it goes right back to the caveman days! Our ancestors would implement a survival strategy where some of the tribe members would stay up late to keep a look out for possible threats while others are soundly asleep. 

Even nowadays, plenty of us are night owls naturally - regardless of our busy lives during the day, some of us still can’t get the shut eye we always feel like getting because we still feel very awake. We often then feel tired the next day, with our low moods and impacted concentration levels. So, why don’t we now delve into some tips on how you can optimise your sleeping environment if you’re someone who struggles to get to sleep? 

Understanding Sleep Cycles: Why Some People Naturally Feel More Awake At Night
Creating A Relaxing Sleep Environment

Creating A Relaxing Sleep Environment

Creating an environment that you can’t wait to retreat into at the end of a long day is what’s essential for those who are night-time sleepers. 

Our circadian rhythms and body clocks are very much affected by the levels of light that we are exposed to during the day and night, and it’s often a reason why many of us feel sluggish during the short days of the winter season.

 If you’re a night owl who wants to try and get to sleep earlier, making your room as dark as possible is one of the first steps to feeling more sleepy and relaxed on an evening. Investing in some high-quality blackout blinds or curtains and reducing screen time before bed is a simple way to stop your body clock from believing it’s day time when it’s not.

The temperature of your bedroom is also a great way to send messages to your body that it's time to feel relaxed and sleepy. A bedroom that’s too hot or too cold can make you feel more tense - having a mattress that allows for more air circulation can really help you with this. For example, pocket spring and orthopaedic mattresses have springs inside, with gaps in between for better airflow. 

Pocket spring mattresses are also good couples, as the individually wrapped springs reduce noise and motion transfer. So, if your partner is an early bird and you’re a night owl, your different routines won’t disturb each other as you won’t hear each other’s movements as much during the night. 

Maybe you’re a night owl and you really enjoy staying up late - our handcrafted and high-quality beds can make all the difference when it comes to giving you plenty of support as you stay up late to watch TV or read a book. Designed with solid bases, our Divan beds give you plenty of support and improved posture if you wish to go on your laptop in bed before sleeping, along with a variety of headboards that give you cushioning beyond your pillows. 

Managing Your Sleep Timing

Managing your sleep timing is also an effective way to improve your sleep quality as someone who considers themselves as a night owl. As someone who struggles to feel relaxed and sleepy in the evening before bed, managing your sleep timing can promote the feelings of relaxation even better. 

Going to bed and having consistent routines is the key here. It’s okay to bend the rules a bit on our days off during weekends and holidays, but managing a consistent sleep schedule during our busy working lives is a game-changer when it comes to our emotional regulation and productivity levels, as well as so many other benefits. 

Managing Your Sleep Timing
Accessories To Use For Better Sleep

Accessories To Use For Better Sleep

Night owls can really benefit from certain accessories when it comes to getting better sleep each night. We’ve touched on how a quiet environment is important for better sleep, so investing in some high-quality earplugs and listening to white noise can block out the sounds of your partner snoring during the night or construction work going off outside in the morning. 

Sleep masks are also a good tool to use to get better sleep. Designed with blue tooth headphones inside, this device gives you the best of both worlds of quiet and darkness, so you can get many nights of undisturbed sleep. 

Another tip is to use some light drops of essential oil on your pillowcase, such as lavender and camomile to promote feelings of relaxation and comfort before sleeping. Your body associates certain routines and scents, telling your brain that it’s now the time of the day to relax, allowing you to get better sleep.

How Late Sleepers Can Wake Up Feeling Refreshed

Night owls often struggle waking up in the morning due to staying up late and having less hours of sleep, often resulting in fatigue and mental fog. Light exposure is a great way to make you feel more energised in the morning - opening your curtains to allow in more natural daylight can boost your serotonin and energy levels when you wake up, making you feel more positive for the day ahead.

Health experts also suggest that drinking a large glass of water when you wake up is a good way to make you feel more energised and hydrated. After many hours sleeping and having no water, your body is definitely in need of a refresher! 

If you’re someone who struggles to wake up, hitting snooze is so tempting - but it can actually make you feel even more tired. This is because once you’ve pressed snooze on your alarm clock, your body begins entering the early stages of a sleep cycle. So if you want to start your day without feeling groggy, avoiding the snooze button can make all the difference! 

How Late Sleepers Can Wake Up Feeling Refreshed

Improve Your Sleep Quality Now

After reading this guide, we hope you now have a better understanding on how your brain works as a night owl. We’ve talked about some tips on how you can optimise your sleeping environment so you begin feeling more relaxed in the evening, as well as which mattress and bed types we recommend for great sleep.  

If you’re interested in the topic of sleep cycles, then why not take a look at some more of our guides? If you have any questions about one of our products, our customer service team is happy to help with any questions you may have.