For as long as I can remember, I've enjoyed staying up late at night -- even it's been a school or work night. I'm what you would call a night person. Others might describe me as a night owl. To me, there's no time like the middle of the night. It's quiet, relaxing -- the perfect setting for reading a good book, writing a poem, getting lost in contemplation, or taking a leisurely stroll beneath a striking starry sky. As I've gotten older, staying up late on work nights has become something of a challenge. Sometimes I get home so tired that I don't make it past 11. And getting adequate sleep really makes a difference in one 's day. I don't function well without  at least 6 hours of shut-eye. That's why I make every effort to at least stay up on weekends. A real sense of peace and tranquility eludes me in the daytime, when it's common to hear dogs barking, construction crews hard at work, and other intrusive disturbances. It's also ...