Do you think being awake at night damages our brain/affects our IQ?

Hello NarcyzaProspera, I too have been considered to be a 'nocturnal' person for a couple of years now, and I do not think that being active in the night adversely affect your brain development and by extension your IQ. The reason I tend to be active at night is because I find it provides me with a more conducive environment to work in, since everybody is sleeping, thereby allowing me to complete my work more efficiently than if it were done during the day, which is replete with distractions. I have been a consistent academic performer over the past few years and this experience has further convinced me that there are no detrimental effects to one's IQ merely as a result of being awake during the night. The problem arises when we undergo a lack of sleep. In my experience, a lack of sleep results in me feeling drained, and unready to tackle the tasks of the day. This lackadaisical attitude tends to carry on throughout the day, resulting in a decreased amount of time spent analyzing and thinking of solutions to problems, ultimately resulting in poorer performance, due to mistakes I would never awake had I been fully rested and cognizant. It also results in me becoming irritable and therefore my social life suffers as a consequence. Finally, it leaves me more vulnerable to infections, headaches, lack of appetite, due to what I attribute to be the weakening of my immune system, since the majority of the body's repairs are mediated during sleep. The myLotter above me posted some interesting information about the night sending signals to go to sleep. However, if an individual is locked up in an indoor facility, void of windows or any connections to the outside world, and is also prohibited access to clocks or watches, doesn't he fall asleep by his own accord? Can't he or she change their sleep cycle at will? Anyway NarcyzaProspera, I hope that your situation sorts itself out with the boss rethinking your night-time position and I wish you good luck and happy mylotting!

no i disagree with the people who said that "awake at night damage the brain" at the same time i agree that lack of sleep should damage the brain,i feel active only if i sleep nearly eight hours else i felt the tiredness of the body....

I do not believe, the activity in your brain relays mostly on what you do, read, do puzzles, study and even play games can help a lot. Working the night shift will only affect you in the sense that we all do things in the day time and you might be missing in the activities of your family and friends.

I really think that it is the amount of sleep not so much when you get it! I have heard that lack of sleep really effects your alertness level and your response level. It also helps your brain to get enough sleep. It is very important.

I've been insomniac since high school and im lucky enough to have average of 6 hours of sleep. Haven't affects my IQ at all, I guess. What I noticed was, later on was my metabolism slows down and I've been more prone to sickness.