Night owls are people who come alive at night. According to UCLA Health, 30% of the world’s population identifies as night owls, people who are most productive at night.

While they may not be early birds at 6 a.m., they have many unique strengths and personality traits that stem from their night-favoring chronotype.

But being a night owl is sometimes stereotyped as lazy, which mental health experts say is not true.

“Being a night owl is not laziness, and it’s not a lack of discipline,” Sandra Kushnir, LMFT, a licensed therapist and founder and CEO of Meridian Counseling, tells Upworthy.

Instead, she explains that many night owls are born that way—they carry a genetic variant that inclines them to stay up late.

“A big part of chronotype is biological, and forcing a night owl into a 5 a.m. routine usually backfires,” she adds.

For night owls, Kushnir explains that their real work is protecting their sleep—getting enough of it, keeping the wind-down consistent, and building a schedule that fits their natural circadian rhythm.

“When night owls stop fighting........

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