Circadian Rhythms and You Be You

Circadian Rhythms and You Be You

Let me start with a bummer, because life isn’t always cupcakes and cozy mysteries. When my mom passed away a few years ago, she was just about to get up—at three in the morning. Yes, three. In. The. Morning. I mean, who does that? My mom, that’s who. She’d get up when the rest of us were deep in dreamland, do a few things, rest, do a few more, rest again. That was her rhythm. Wash, rinse, repeat.

As a teenager, I thought it was weird. You’re supposed to sleep in late, drag your bleary-eyed self to school or work, suffer through the day, then stay up until the wee hours laughing with friends, eating questionable pizza, and pretending you’re invincible. That’s the script!

And yet… as I’ve gotten older, I find myself—brace for impact—doing the same thing. Gasp! I get up early. I mean really early. Before sunrise. Before the world even stretches. And I love it. There’s something delicious about that quiet hour when it’s just me, my coffee, my words, and a certain fluffy Papillon (looking at you, Blueberry) blinking sleepily from her blanket fort as if to say, “Really? Now?”

By the time the rest of the world is opening one eye, I’ve already written a chapter, folded a load of laundry, answered emails, and contemplated the mysteries of life (like why socks disappear into alternate dimensions). Then, come late afternoon, I fade faster than a plot twist with no payoff. That’s my recharge time. Maybe a nap. Maybe tea. Maybe both.

It doesn’t work for everyone, of course. I have friends who thrive at midnight. Their creativity switches on just when mine is snoring. They write, paint, bake, or build entire websites at 2 a.m. while I’m drooling on my pillow.

And here’s the best part—we’re both right.

For centuries, the world insisted we all march to the same rhythm: 9 to 5. That was “normal.” That was “productive.” Anything else was suspicious. But now? We’re starting to realize the truth: there is no one-size-fits-all rhythm. Morning lark or night owl, burst worker or steady hummer—it’s all good.

Creativity, after all, doesn’t wear a wristwatch.

So, I say let’s celebrate the freedom to be you. The world’s changed. The old 9-to-5 norm? Poof. Gone. Maybe you’re at your best before sunrise with a mug of coffee and a yawning dog. Maybe you’re unstoppable at midnight with lo-fi beats and a candle flickering beside your laptop. Whatever works for you—that’s what’s right.

And honestly, isn’t that kind of wonderful?

So here’s to my mom, the original 3 a.m. overachiever. Turns out, she wasn’t weird at all. She was just ahead of her time.

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