The Early Bird Gets the Nap

When I first retired, I had this fantasy about sleeping in. I pictured myself lounging until 10 a.m., with the sun already high in the sky, a steaming cup of coffee in hand. I’d be well-rested, with a full day ahead to read, exercise, and maybe conquer the world – or at least the daily Wordle. But reality, menopause, and my weird anxious brain hit with a vengeance. I am an early bird, and apparently, there’s no retirement from that.

Even as a kid at sleepovers, I’d wake up at the crack of dawn, wide-eyed and ready to start the day, only to find myself alone in a sea of snoring friends still in their sleeping bags. While they dreamed away, I’d quietly tiptoe through unfamiliar houses, searching for anything to keep me occupied until the rest of the house came to life. Mornings were my golden hours then, and they still are now.

Work Stories: The Perks of Being an Early Bird

As a teacher, I loved arriving at school by 7 a.m. The best part of my day was that peaceful stretch of time before the chaos began. The coffee tasted better, the air didn’t yet contain those “funky kid odors,” and I had a couple of hours to myself – no students, no meetings, just me and my productivity.

My teacher friend, on the other hand, had a different strategy. She had been groggily wondering how many more times she could slap the 7-minute snooze button before 7:15 a.m. – a very complex math problem, indeed. She’d roll into the parking lot at 8:20, running through the school doors like the last-minute entrant in a marathon. She’d give me a wild-eyed look that screamed, “Get out of my way, woman!” as I calmly held my now-cold mug, teacher chores more than halfway done.

In those early mornings, I managed to accomplish more before 9 a.m. than some people do all day. And that’s where the magic of being an early bird lies – you feel like you’ve hacked the system, snatching precious, quiet hours while the world sleeps.                             

Peck, peck, peck.

Retirement Realities: The Awesome Life of an Early Riser

You’d think retirement would change things. But no, I’m still up before dawn, smugly doing my caffeine-fueled yoga, feeling victorious over my to-do list before the rest of the world stirs. My friend? She’s finally found the joy of sleeping in, only to wake up at what I would call mid-morning, still bleary-eyed. I love having my mornings all to myself. The peace of the early stillness feels like a reward, and now it’s uninterrupted by the demands of a workday.

Chirp, chirp, chirp.

Retirement Woes: Schedule Struggles

This leads me to the sad part of being an early bird in retirement – everyone else seems to be on a different schedule. My friend and I still struggle to meet in the middle. I’ll text her at 7 a.m. with a brilliant idea for the day for our podcast, Bird Battle Episode, only to be met with radio silence until after 9 a.m. (or 10 a.m., if she’s feeling extra indulgent).

And in retirement, with our flexible schedules, that divide has only gotten wider with my other night owl friends. By the time they wake up, I’ve already solved world hunger, organized my sock drawer by color, and ironically, baked an apple pie.     

Gobble, gobble, gobble.

There’s a real loneliness to this. Even when we’re all technically “free,” we live in two different worlds. It’s like being in parallel universes – mine starts at 6 a.m. and theirs doesn’t really kick in until the afternoon. Are they in the wrong time zone, or am I? I do find comfort that some of my family and friends contain this early bird gene, and our “late game nights” end when the sun goes down.             

Hoot, hoot, hoot.

Conclusion: Naps and Common Ground

But there’s one thing both early birds and night owls can agree on in retirement: naps. Whether you’re up at dawn or burning the midnight oil, by the time you hit 60, naps become a non-negotiable part of life. And let me tell you, if I could’ve snuck in naps during my teaching years, I’d have been a much happier afternoon person!

What I didn’t know I didn’t know was that no matter how different our schedules may be, we all get the same 24 hours in a day. Whether you’re an early bird like me or a night owl like some of my friends, there’s no right way to tackle retirement. Some of us rise with the sun, ready to face the day, while others prefer to let the day come to us. We’ve learned to embrace our differences – and our naps. Because after all, what’s life without a little diversity in our lives and in our sleep schedules?

So, here’s to all the early birds and night owls out there. May your mornings be peaceful, your nights be restful, and your naps be plentiful. And if you ever need to call me, just know I’ll probably answer – whether it’s 6 a.m. or 11 p.m.

I’m an early bird, but I’ve always got time for a friend.

Let’s Have a Conversation:

Which ‘bird’ are you? Do you prefer basking in the glow of the sunrise or the soft flicker of Netflix at 2 a.m.? What is the best/worst part of being your type of bird? How many cups of coffee does it take you to join the land of the living? If you don’t drink coffee, what is your secret?! And more importantly, when’s your nap time?”