It’s a bit of a running joke in my family that I never remember any of the drama that happened as we were growing up because I was always asleep.
‘Do you remember that time Grandad punched a horse?’ someone will ask.
‘Of course she doesn’t,’ someone else will say,’ she will have been in bed.’
(Note: my Grandad never punched a horse but I couldn’t think of any examples because, obviously, I was asleep.)
Me from 9pm onwards
I get tired okay guys? I can’t help it.
As a teenager I never had any good TV programmes to talk about at school because I was always in bed and asleep by about 9pm. I normally manage to keep things going until about 10pm nowadays, but any later than that and my knees start twitching and to be honest if it was just me at home I’d probably be in bed earlier. I’m just trying to impress Belle. Whenever I go away on my own I’m in bed with a cup of tea catching up with the Archers by nine.
My brain is one step ahead of me and has normally switched off by about eight. I’ve never worked late into the night – I just can’t. If I had last minute deadlines at school or college I’d have to set my alarm and get up and finish things at 4am.
My question though is this – does going to bed early mean you are JUST NOT COOL?
I don’t know whether it’s a question of the grass always being greener, but I have always listened to other people saying things like ‘oh by 11pm I’m just getting started!’ and thought that they are probably just cooler than me. Having to leave a pub to go home at 10.30pm because you’re sleepy isn’t very rock and roll is it?
Also how useful must it be to know that as nine o’clock rolls around you still have hours ahead of you to watch films, do chores and generally be interesting? I have to seriously think twice before committing to a film that starts after 8pm, knowing that I probably won’t be able to see it through. Giving up at 10pm though feels so pathetic though sometimes, like I’m the kind of person who doesn’t like the taste of whiskey and can’t wear heels.
(Both also me.)
It’s almost like I have written this post JUST as an excuse to show you pictures of my cats asleep
On the plus side I am excellent first thing in the morning. I don’t feel like death until I have a coffee and I don’t need to be dragged out of bed groaning miserably – I can be awake and up and feeling totally normal straightaway. I’m positively breezy.
That doesn’t feel sexy though. Nothing scandalous happens between 7am and 9am. No underground jazz bars are open first thing in the morning. No dark secrets are shared. It’s just not a cool time of the day.
What do you think? Do all the cool kids stay up late or is it overrated? Should I start some kind of movement to get cool stuff happening first thing in the morning?
Leave a comment and let me know!
That’s a tough call , know some people are night owls and some are not , if I’m
Or with friends late nights are no worries , most days I usually got to bed at 10 and then watch something on tv / dvd and then turn off things and go to sleep when I’m tired which varies. On the flip side how do you define cool ? I’ve never aspired to be cool I’ve always been a bit of a geek/nerd (was before it was trendy) I’m just me
Author
I don’t know how I define it really or if it is really aspirational, I’ve just always felt a bit boring I guess because I always seem to be having to go to bed! I know that it doesn’t REALLY matter ;-)
I’m exactly the same… any later than 10pm and I can’t keep my eyes open. I have almost a bedtime but I’m super on it in the morning. Just how I’m wired.
Kate xx
http://www.mummywho.com
Author
Excellent! A co-founder for the ‘all the cool kids are up at 6am’ club :-D
The pictures of your cats are super adorable! The first one has its little feetsies all curled up and it just melted my heart. Then the second picture I so badly want to touch your cats little jelly bean toes.
Now, to answer your question.. I don’t think going to bed early means you’re not cool. In fact, I think it’s probably the most sensible thing to do. The thing is some of us need to be in bed earlier than others.. and some of us are early risers and some of us aren’t. I’m the type to be in bed super early and then not emerge from bed until really late. I think I spend more time in my bed than I do awake to be fair.. which I’m not entirely sure is healthy. Haha. Although most of my time in bed is just me laying there watching TV and cuddling my cats. I wish I could actually get to sleep earlier, but anxiety keeps me awake a lot longer than I’d like.. and then once I am finally asleep, I don’t want to get up! My cats crying at me and kneading me generally does the trick though.
Author
Thank you for the cat love :-)
Unfortunately for you, you’re right. You’re just not cool Jo, unlike me. I’m up in the early hours doing hip and trendy stuff like commenting on your post at GONE MIDNIGHT! Yep, that is actually a real time Jo!
Author
Well we KNOW you are cooler than me Jane, that goes without saying :-)
I’m definitely one to go to bed early. Nightmare on holidays and hen weekends when everyone wants to stay up. But I’m always alert first thing! Let’s make something cool happen between 6&8 am.
Author
Yes let’s! It’s currently 6.55am and I’m at the station but not much seems to be going down to be honest…
More stuff definitely needs to happen early doors. I haven’t slept past 5am more than a dozen times in the last two years. I’m up and raring to go!
Well Jo, this is interesting. I have a couple of friends whose body clocks are utterly screwed. They’re lovely guys and I love to catch up but they’ll stay up until 2-3am…..just because it can be done. I think when you’re younger, to stay up mega late is a badge of honour but as you get older you accept this isn’t necessarily cool.
Author
Yeah, I could NOT do that – I have never earned that badge of honour!
Sorry to disappoint all you worm-eaters but the cool kids clearly do stay up late, well, the writers do, at least.
I mean, who else is going to drink the Scotch and coffee cocktails at 3am while trying to find just the right elegant variant for polygamy to a Miles Davis back beat?
When writing my first book I often used to pace myself by the moon crawling across the rooftops while cats flirted outrageously. Having moved on to children’s fiction, I find it’s the time when my imagination’s at its most ripe and the witching hour is the only time guaranteed to be truly distraction free…………..