If you’ve ever watched your teen fade out around 10:30, only to come back to life an hour later, you’re not imagining it. There’s a biological reason for that spark of energy that shows up when the rest of the house is trying to wind down.
Between about 11 p.m. and 2 a.m., the body’s internal clock sometimes fires one last burst of alertness. For people with ADHD traits, or who fall somewhere on the bipolar spectrum, that window can feel electric. Ideas start flowing. Focus sharpens. Suddenly they feel clear, motivated, even creative.
It’s tempting to think of this as a personality quirk or a bad habit. In reality, it’s part of how their brain’s arousal system interacts with their sleep cycle. As fatigue builds, the body pushes back by releasing a short wave of stimulating neurochemicals. It’s the brain’s version of a second wind.
It feels great in the moment. But the next day almost always tells the other side of the story. Fatigue hits hard. Moods swing. Small frustrations feel bigger than usual. The same dopamine surge that made the night feel productive leaves the emotional system off balance once the sleep debt catches up.
Sleep scientists have a simple explanation for this. When we don’t get enough rest, the prefrontal cortex—the part of the brain that manages focus, emotional control, and planning—loses efficiency. The emotional centers of the brain start to take the lead. That’s when you see irritability, impulsivity, or the feeling of being “off” the next day.
What Parents Can Do
If this sounds familiar, start by naming what’s happening. Saying, “Your body has a pattern where it wakes up again late at night. It’s not your fault, but it costs you the next day,” helps turn shame into awareness.
Encourage consistency. Waking up around the same time every morning helps reset the rhythm better than trying to force an early bedtime. Lowering light and stimulation after 9:30 or so can also help cue the body toward rest.
Avoid moralizing it. This isn’t about willpower or respect for rules. It’s physiology. The goal is to help your teen notice the pattern, and gradually build habits that protect their rest.
A Thought to End On
There’s something real about the creative energy that shows up late at night. Many people do their best thinking when the world is quiet. The challenge is to learn when that energy serves you and when it starts to take more than it gives.
Rest isn’t the opposite of productivity. It’s what allows the mind to stay steady enough to create again tomorrow.