could younger people be meant to sleep later?

[openeyes]

"A recent Op-Ed article in The Times cited a National Sleep Foundation survey in which more than a quarter of the students reported that they fell asleep in class at least once a week. Researchers say this is true because youngsters — beginning around age 12 until they reach their mid-20s — only start producing melatonin, the sleep-inducing hormone, around 11 p.m. and that production peaks until about 7 a.m. In adults, melatonin peaks until around 4 a.m. Trying to wake up a teenager before 7 o’clock is like trying to awake an adult before 4 a.m."

Are You Up Yet? - New York Times

I wonder how this affects the attempts of youngsters (under 25) here to be early risers. From personal experience I'd say it's still doable, though it's nice to know it may get easier in a few years.

[Angela]

It seems to me that just the astonishing energy involved in growing a teenage body and mind requires a tremendous amount of rest!

[Fullcrum]

I'm 16 and I awake between 5 and 5:30 AM everyday.

Usually if I "intend" to wake up at 5 the next morning feeling "refreshed, relaxed, and awake", I do. If I don't set the intention it can be hit and miss. I have an alarm. I also have an enjoyable morning routine, which is why I'm always excited to get up and start this routine.

[{aspiring_to_clarity}]

I am almost 28 and have always felt just exhausted if I try to wake up before or around 7 am no matter when I go to sleep. But if I wake around 8 I am fine, even if I only slept for 4 or 5 hours. Interesting.

[Kindred]

I'm 17 and have been getting up at 5:00 weekdays and weekends for a month (use to get up at 6:00 for several months before that). After my morning stretches, I'm buzzed to start working on my projects and goals. Most of my friends think I'm crazy (maybe I am?).

A little less than a year ago I use to stay up past midnight and get up at 7:00. Use to watch the sunrise on weekends too. I had hard time paying attention in school, because my mind would be thinking about things I wanted to do after school. I'd also be extremely groggy from not getting enough sleep.

If anyone around my age here is trying to become an early riser, I suggest you have a passionate reason as to why you want to get up early. Find out how much sleep you actually need without sleeping in on weekends. Otherwise you'll probably stick to your old sleep schedule and become frustrated.

[linglang]

Haha, nice to see that there are many early risers as me at this age!
I am considered to be a weirdo too getting up too early in my boarding house.
There is a main reason why I get up at 5:00 in the morning if I have things to do. According to Chinese CHI Health Experts(I am Chinese), there is a biological clock for everybody. And simply putting the term of sleeping with the production of sleeping-inducing hormone is a bit shallow.

The whole system is complicated, but at 5 o'clock, the kidney does not function and if you get up at this time, you will feel very energetic. However, at 6 o'clock, our blood pressure goes up and heartbeat speeds up, at this time we are not feeling as good as at 5, that's why I take a shower at this time instead of studying or exercising. At 7 o'clock, our body temperature will increase as the speed of blood circulation increases. So this time is good for exercise.

[Erki]

I'm 20, and I have to wake up at 4.30am every day, except Sunday. It's a bitch, to be honest. I'd rather not have an alarm clock(or any clock for that matter) and wake up exactly when I feel refreshed.

[Kryptik]

Originally Posted by Kindred

If anyone around my age here is trying to become an early riser, I suggest you have a passionate reason as to why you want to get up early.

I agree Kindred. For school I have to wake up by 05:30, but it's nearly impossible for my parents to wake me up. I don't even hear my alarm clock or multiple alarms that I have set up. However, if I'm at a mission or if Search and Rescue calls me at 04:00, I have no problem whatsoever waking up.

[Marco Polo]

The costs of waking up too early (in terms of daytime tiredness, altered sleeping rhythm etc.) far outweigh any possible benefits to me.

Perhaps when I'm in my late 20s I'll try something like this, or whenever some other factor, like getting a job, forces me to do it.

[The David]

Where are you getting the 'under 25' thing?

[openeyes]

Originally Posted by The David

Where are you getting the 'under 25' thing?

An approximation from the article:

"beginning around age 12 until they reach their mid-20s"

[A2K89]

I'm 18, and my attempts at being an "early riser" have failed completely.

[shiggityjoe]

I am a former insomniac turned early riser.
I agree with the article, for sur.

[silicon toad2000]

in doing a bunch of reading in regard to bi-phasic sleep and reading a bit into different phases of sleep, there seemed to be a lack of agreement on the purpose of REM sleep, there only seemed to be a loose consensus that REM sleep had a part to play in the development of the brain.
The human brain continues to wire itself until the age of 20.
As we sleep in cycles, the REM/Delta ratio increases with each passing cycle of sleep, it seems only natural that the body would do what it can to get to the point of these sleep cycles with high proportions of REM sleep while the brain is still developing.

[MasterD]

Originally Posted by Fullcrum

I'm 16 and I awake between 5 and 5:30 AM everyday.

Usually if I "intend" to wake up at 5 the next morning feeling "refreshed, relaxed, and awake", I do. If I don't set the intention it can be hit and miss. I have an alarm. I also have an enjoyable morning routine, which is why I'm always excited to get up and start this routine.

I am interested in your specific morning routine, would you mind sharing?

[The David]

Originally Posted by openeyes

An approximation from the article:

"beginning around age 12 until they reach their mid-20s"

My bad.