hoot hoot

I prefer to start my day early, but I don't necessarily consider myself a "morning person" because I feel equally comfortable staying up late. Usually I slip into night owl mode when I'm reading and can't stop (either out of pleasure or necessity) but occasionally the reason varies (socializing, too much caffeine, emotional stress, sickness, getting sucked into watching something on TV - not all at once, of course!).

It sounds SO cliche to say this, but my perception of the world shifts when I'm sleep deprived. I think about different things, simultaneously feeling connected with and detached from humanity. I wonder whether other people, suffering from insomnia or simply giving into their natural rhythms, also look at the clock and realize it is "the point of no return" - when you're going to have to face tomorrow (technically later today) on little or no sleep. Depending on my mood and reason for lack of slumber, I either feel a slight exhilaration (yes, I'm lame and feel amused when it is way past my bedtime!) or dismay and frustration (which only happens if I won't have the opportunity to catch up on my rest the following day).

I can still pull an "all-nighter" but it wipes me out harder than it did just a few short years ago. Back in the day, I routinely operated on a few hours a night, and my life seemed slightly more efficient than it does now. I believe in the theory about a body in motion remaining in motion. In my experience, being TOO comfortable leads to laziness, a trait I abhor. The late nights, especially the solitary ones, give a broader sense of perspective.