My 13-year-old made his way downstairs just shy of lunchtime today, while his younger brother remained blissfully asleep. A few months back, waking up at 8:00 a.m. was considered an indulgent sleep-in for my teenager. Now, I often find myself awake for hours before they are—a stark contrast to the chaotic mornings we faced not long ago. It’s becoming increasingly evident that our family is morphing into a clan of night owls.
Once schools shut down and the pressure to wake up for carpooling and bell schedules vanished, our bedtime routine began to drift later and later. What was once a structured bedtime has transformed into a vague two-hour window that often rolls into the early hours of the morning.
As a result, our daily schedule has shifted dramatically. Breakfast now occurs around noon, lunch at approximately 4 p.m., and dinner lands around 8 or 9. My work hours have become fragmented, with me often glancing at the clock in disbelief, realizing it’s already 5 p.m. Where did the day go? Well, when the day doesn’t start until afternoon, time seems to lose its significance.
A few months ago, this nocturnal lifestyle would have seemed impossible, but we are all adapting and even thriving with the change. My husband, a fellow night owl, is delighted that our kids’ schedules now align more closely with his own. As a morning person, I appreciate the quiet hours in the morning to exercise or catch up on work. Most importantly, our children are finally getting the sleep they desperately need.
Contrary to popular belief, older kids actually require more sleep. According to Dr. Sarah Mitchell, a pediatrician, teenagers need about 9 to 9.5 hours of sleep each night—around an hour more than what 10-year-olds require. This extra rest is crucial given the significant changes occurring in their bodies and minds. Dr. Mitchell explains that adolescents undergo a second stage of cognitive development.
Teens don’t just need more sleep; their sleep patterns also shift. Dr. Lisa Parker, Director of the Pediatric Sleep Institute, notes that biological sleep patterns tend to lean towards later sleep and wake times during adolescence. Consequently, it’s not uncommon for them to struggle to fall asleep before 11 p.m. This biological shift is why many health experts advocate for later school start times for middle and high school students.
With remote learning in place, school start times have become more individualized, allowing kids to catch up on sleep they previously missed. It also gives parents a chance to enjoy a bit more rest, even if “sleeping in” now means getting up at 8 a.m. instead of the usual 5:30 a.m.
While the pandemic has brought about many challenges, if we look for silver linings, this might be one of them. Instead of battling to get my kids to sleep by 9 or 9:30, they can now rest when they feel tired and wake up when they are fully refreshed. Without the early morning rush, they can rise gradually, and as a result, our family mood has improved significantly.
Of course, we’ve implemented some boundaries to prevent them from staying up all night and turning into total monsters the next day. Still, this arrangement is generally working well for us. We may need to readjust when school resumes, but for now, we’ll embrace our vampire-like lifestyle (minus the blood-sucking, naturally).
If you’re interested in more insights about sleep patterns and their impact on health, check out this article. For those keen on understanding home insemination, this resource is a great authority on the topic. Additionally, for comprehensive information on pregnancy, visit the CDC.
In summary, the shift in our family’s sleep schedule has been unexpected but beneficial. While we may need to adjust our rhythms in the future, for now, we’re happily adapting to a more relaxed, night-focused routine.