It’s Actually Okay to Not Be a Morning Person

By Sophia Wheway

Somewhere along the way, the internet decided that waking up at 5am was the ultimate personality trait. The “that girl” routine. The iced matcha, hot yoga, journaling before sunrise vibe. Scroll through your FYP long enough and you’ll see endless videos claiming that becoming a morning person changed their life.

But here’s the thing: what if you’re just… not a morning person?

Because not everyone wants to jump out of bed before dawn to meditate, meal prep, and knock out three chapters of a self-help book. And you know what? That’s completely fine.

Night owls deserve peace too

If your perfect day starts with doomscrolling until 2am and rolling out of bed at 9, why not? Who decided early mornings = productivity? If staying out late at the bar with your friends makes you happier than sunrise runs — choose the bar. Memories and laughter matter just as much as discipline and routines.

Balance is the actual flex

You don’t have to sacrifice your social life or force yourself into routines that don’t feel natural. Productivity doesn’t look the same for everyone.

• Going to the gym after lectures? That counts.

• Taking a 15-minute walk while catching up on TikTok? Still moving your body.

• Doing a five-minute Pilates stretch in your dorm room between classes? More than enough.

You don’t need to grind at 5am to prove you’re “productive” or “healthy.” Balance is the actual glow-up.

Do it your way

The truth is: there’s no one version of success, wellness, or productivity. For some people, waking up at sunrise does feel good. For others, it feels like punishment. What matters more is finding the rhythm that works for you — one you’ll actually stick to without resenting it.

So if your “routine” looks like grabbing cheesy chips at 1am after a night out, then going to the gym at 4pm the next day? That’s balance. If it means working hard during the week and sleeping in on weekends? That’s balance too.

At the end of the day, it’s not about copying someone else’s morning routine — it’s about creating your own.

Productivity isn’t about when you wake up, it’s about how you live. And honestly? Life’s too short to miss out on the fun just to hit a 5am alarm.