BY SENG YEE NING
SELANGOR: Amidst the bustling city streets, a quiet transformation is underway, with the reversal of time at its core. Staying up late is gradually becoming a trend among the younger generation, and more and more young individuals are breaking the traditional day-night cycle. They are active during the nighttime, quiet during the daytime, burning the candle at both ends of their lives, pursuing tasks left unfinished during the day.
Due to rising societal pressures, a wide range of entertainment options, and increased individual awareness, staying up late has emerged as a prevalent lifestyle choice and attitude among today's young adults. The motivations for staying up late are diverse, and the consequences of late nights differ from person to person. We are fortunate to have invited five interviewees who share both similarities and differences to discuss their thoughts and experiences on this matter.
Sleepless Ambitions: Understanding Youthful Drive to Stay Up Late
“I will stay up late due to various situation. Sometimes it's because of work, sometimes it's because of games and probably would not go to bed early if I had nothing to do, I might go looking for a movie to watch.”
——Mr Tai, Software developer
“I normally stays up late not because I am busy with something either, but just because I am used to going to bed late and has turned staying up late into a routine. ”
——Ms Wei, UTAR international student (Media & Creative Studies Student)
“I stay up late almost every day because of assignments, but sometimes, I also stay up late when I want to sleep a bit longer. However, if I'm not busy with anything, I don't go to bed early either.”
——Ms Too, UTAR student
(Graphics Design Student)
A Sleepless Generation: Youth Discuss the Impact of Late Nights
The research from the "2019 Chinese White Paper on Late-Night Habits among Youth" found that over one-third of the participants willingly identified as part of the "stay-up late" crowd, while the majority of “Night owls” either adopted this habit due to external pressures or formed it as a routine. This aligns with the accounts of our interviewees shared earlier.
While there appear to be various reasons for staying up late, the health issues it brings cannot be overlooked. The most noticeable consequence is reduced energy levels, affecting performance on the following day. Numerous studies have shown a significant relationship between the duration of sleep and various health problems, including as inflammation, impaired immune function, high blood pressure, diabetes, and depression, all of which are directly associated with insufficient sleep. In the long term, sleep deprivation can even impact one's lifespan, as the increasing mortality rates linked to sleep deprivation have garnered increasing attention.
So, do the "night owls" who stay up late not know about these health concerns? Let's see what they have to say?
Mr Tai mentioned that staying up late affects his ability to concentrate, making it challenging for him to focus, and easily to get sick.
Ms Wei noted that "If you need to get up early the next day you will easily get sleepy. After all, getting enough sleep is certainly important, whether you go to bed early or late, and if you don't get enough sleeping you certainly won't be in the right frame of mind to do the things you need to do today."
Ms Too said that staying up late makes her feel unmotivated, less productive, and grumpy.
“Staying up late is common among Malaysian college students; instead, those who went to bed early would be hard to find.”
——Ms Lee, UTAR student
(Chemical Engineering)
She mentioned about she is not very focused on getting enough sleep. She does not limit herself to a certain number of hours of sleep each day. However, she will go to bed early if she is tired or has nothing else to do. For example, she went to bed at almost 10:00pm in the first couple of weeks of this semester.
She also added that "Staying up late will definitely make me tired for the next day, and it's hard to be attentive in class. If the lecturer teaches something new and I can't understand it, I will feel even more sleepy during class."
"Staying up late is common among college students, primarily due to academic commitments and the desire for personal time. "
——Ms Tan, INTI student
(business psychology)
She noted that it often leads to headaches and a weakened immune system. Ms. Tan emphasized the importance of adequate sleep for weight management and overall health.
She shared an experience of staying up late to complete an assignment, followed by using her phone until 4 am. The resulting sleep deprivation left her feeling exhausted and disrupted her sleep schedule. Ms. Tan acknowledged that this cycle negatively impacts her for several days, requiring time to readjust.
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