I'd like to point out that I'm about a month shy of 40 next month, so none of this represents a phase or age. When I was a child, I actually refused to wake up for Santa's presents on christmas morning, choosing instead to go to grandmother's house and open Santa gifts when we got home later in the day.

When I follow a natural sleep/wake cycle, I sleep around 3 or 4 and wake around 11 or 12. I can get good quality sleep waking at 9 (going to be earlier, of course), but can't consistently wake naturally this way and must use an alarm. Usually this coincides with hormonal changes once a month. I'm obviously female.

If I wake at 6 or 7 am, things get tricky. Even with good sleep habits (no screens in the bedroom, quiet dark, cool environment, no sleeping in on weekends), my sleep suffers. I'll get a good night or two in, then can't fall asleep until midnight the next night. I always run the risk of not hearing the alarm clock. I'm working against my body clock. I've had to adjust the "good sleep habits" so that I can get more sleep on the weekends lest I wind up with depression due to lack of sleep.

I do what I can to work later shifts, but I can't always avoid mornings.

edited for clarity