Whilst mooching around Google, I found the following Wikipedia entry on “delayed sleep phase syndrome”. I am a real fan of “diagnosing” things (I wanted to be a doctor when I was younger but soon realised what it involved) so was pleased to finally read a description of what I have known for a long time, that wanting to go to bed late and get up late is not laziness, it is actually a “syndrome”. My ideal night would be 3am to 11am, and these are exactly the times mentioned in the article. It is basically a disorder of the body’s timing system – the biological clock.

I found the following quotes of particular interest: “They often have asked family members to help wake them in the morning, or they have used several alarm clocks”: this explains the nightmare for my poor parents trying to get me up in the morning, as well as travel companions who have been enlisted to help me get up, usually with a cup of tea if they are really kind (thanks Jo!).

And it looks like I’ve chosen the right career: “DSPS-friendly careers can include security work, work in theater, the entertainment industry, hospitality work in restaurants, hotels or bars, call center work, nursing, taxi or truck driving, the media, and freelance writing, translation, IT work, or medical transcription.”

So cut out the “social opprobrium” you larks, and remember it is a syndrome so sympathy is required!