I’ve always been a nocturnal “night owl” – awake when the world sleeps, alert when the sun starts rising, and asleep when everyone else is starting their day.

But for 2 years, I lived on the other side. My medication during this time made me sleep early, wake up early – not just a couple of hours earlier, but like a total shift in my sleep cycle.

And suddenly, I had mornings. I had time to myself, time with Miki, time before the first work call started ringing. The day would unfold gently and evenings would be short after work ended. For a while, I genuinely liked it. Waking up with the sun seemed better suited for working hours as well as made the days more structured.

But now that I’ve stopped the meds, I’ve gone back to my original cycle –  wide awake at night, brain active when the world slows down, sleeping through alarms and early meetings. And as good as the early-rising phase was, I realise I really missed this.

This strange rhythm is a part of me. It may not be ideal or convenient, but I feel more like myself this way. I’m definitely not going back to the 5am club (unless that’s the sleeping time).

I’m not sure how to deal with my early working hours anymore though. Or with the fact that Miki had started sleeping at night to match my routine and now feels confused seeing me sleeping till noon. Maybe just a few hours of tweaking could give me the right balance?