Recently, I’ve received a lot of backlash from my grandma for being a night owl. In Chinese belief, sleeping late at night is particularly detrimental to one’s long term health and prosperity. There’s even a famous four character Chengyu proverb that preaches the righteousness of the early bird — 早睡早起.

Now I do agree that a 2am to 10am sleep schedule is not something to be proud of, but being a night owl also comes with its own unique merits. So, before I comply with my grandma’s stern request of sleeping each night before 11pm, I want to tell you about the beauty of the late night.

If you’re like me and suffer from slight anxiety, you’ll likely find that late at night is when your productivity peaks. Personally, I am much more easily distractable during the day, while after 10pm is when I can maintain my longest concentration span. Perhaps it is due to the fact that late nights offer the most quiet, peaceful environment without distractions. Or maybe the reduced cortisol levels at night can downregulate the stress response and temporarily keep procrastination in check. Regardless of the reason, the late night has become a precious personal refuge for me to make progress on my todo list.

Beyond productivity boosts, it is my belief that the late night provides a magical window during which it is easier to connect with the authentic soul of your surrounding environment. In my experience, when the moon shines at night, everything becomes more authentic — from people to cities to conversations and memories. It is difficult to describe this elusive feeling to you unless you’ve experienced it yourself. Personally, I don’t take it as a coincidence that my strongest friendships, deepest thoughts, and favourite memories have been shaped by the late night. If you don’t believe me, I encourage you to take a stroll around your neighbourhood next time you stay up past bedtime and take the time to slowly rediscover your surroundings. You might find something that you missed before.

An activity that I have absolutely fallen for is nighttime photography. In the hopes of capturing the essense of the magical late night that I’ve introduced to you above, here is a collection of photographs of my favourite late night moments this year.

Singapore

Korea & China

Japan