<p>I answered a similar question some time ago on Programmers SE: <a href="https://softwareengineering.stackexchange.com/q/108133/15464">Are developers more productive at night?</a></p>

<p>One interesting paper I ran into with a different perspective than the one <a href="https://cogsci.stackexchange.com/a/5246/21">provided in Justas's answer</a> is <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1145/986710.986720" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><em>"The Programmer Life-Cycle"</em></a> by Russell Ovans (2004). It discusses the productivity of a programmer over time.</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>The sequence of phases is: euphoric, productive, irreplaceable,
  resentful, bored, and unproductive. Overall productivity is
  characterized by <strong>an initial six month period of intense interest</strong>, at
  which time productivity rates are often an order of magnitude higher
  than the oft-quoted 500 LOC/month average. After a short period of
  volatility, the programmer then enters a prolonged phase of steadily
  dwindling interest, resulting in productivity rates that mimic the
  average.</p>
</blockquote>

<p>An important disclaimer to add: his perspective is based on his own observations and experiences over the course of six years while working as a senior software engineer.</p>

<p>Although perhaps not as relevant to you since you state you mainly work at night due to critical phases of a project, <a href="https://softwareengineering.stackexchange.com/q/108133/15464">other programmers generally prefer working late at night</a>. Taking Ovan's report into account, and considering that programmers usually work on individual projects at night, a simple reason could be that it's this 'euphoric' drive for short-term individual projects that makes them productive, causing the desire to stay awake and continue work.</p>

<p><sub>
Ovans, Russell. <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1145/986710.986720" rel="nofollow noreferrer">"The programmer life-cycle."</a> ACM SIGSOFT Software Engineering Notes 29.3 (2004): 25-26.
</sub></p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-02-13T00:16:14.647Z
2015-02-13T00:16:14.647Z
2017-04-13T12:56:16.467Z
Steven Jeuris
<p>Probably both a combination of being more tired and fewer distractions. Most other people will be asleep during the night. Programming is adversely affected by context-switching, thus night-time with stimulant-enhanced soda is more likely to provide you with long periods of interruption free coding.</p>

<p>Update: The above situation creates the conditions where <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flow_%28psychology%29" rel="noreferrer">Csíkszentmihályi's Flow</a> is most likely to take place.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-12-30T03:04:31.577Z
2013-12-30T18:25:04.587Z
2013-12-30T18:25:04.587Z
Justas
<p>I can be described as a morning person, where waking up at 4:20 AM to catch a flight is no problem. My colleague on the other hand go to bed no earlier than midnight and often later than that.</p>

<p>We're both programmers, and if we're in a critical phase of a project, my colleague works until 3AM, and I start at 4AM. Still both times are in the middle of the night and we tend to get most work done at off working hours.</p>

<p>Question is why that is?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-12-29T21:16:02.257Z
You're not alone.
user5402
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-12-30T00:09:19.000Z
Interesting question. This could depend on outer circumstances instead of being a biological phenomena though. For example, night is is much more distraction free from a sociological perspective.
danijar
<problem-solving>
Why do programmers work at night?
Benny Skogberg
# Why do programmers work at night?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2013-12-29)

I can be described as a morning person, where waking up at 4:20 AM to catch a flight is no problem. My colleague on the other hand go to bed no earlier than midnight and often later than that.

We're both programmers, and if we're in a critical phase of a project, my colleague works until 3AM, and I start at 4AM. Still both times are in the middle of the night and we tend to get most work done at off working hours.

Question is why that is?

**Tags:** problem-solving

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: You're not alone.  
> **username_2**: Interesting question. This could depend on outer circumstances instead of being a biological phenomena though. For example, night is is much more distraction free from a sociological perspective.  

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## 2 answers

### Answer by username_4 on 2013-12-30. Score: 7 | Accepted answer

Probably both a combination of being more tired and fewer distractions. Most other people will be asleep during the night. Programming is adversely affected by context-switching, thus night-time with stimulant-enhanced soda is more likely to provide you with long periods of interruption free coding.

Update: The above situation creates the conditions where [Csíkszentmihályi's Flow](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flow_%28psychology%29) is most likely to take place.


---

### Answer by username_3 on 2015-02-13. Score: 2

I answered a similar question some time ago on Programmers SE: [Are developers more productive at night?](https://softwareengineering.stackexchange.com/q/108133/15464)

One interesting paper I ran into with a different perspective than the one [provided in username_4's answer](https://cogsci.stackexchange.com/a/5246/21) is [*"The Programmer Life-Cycle"*](http://dx.doi.org/10.1145/986710.986720) by Russell Ovans (2004). It discusses the productivity of a programmer over time.

> The sequence of phases is: euphoric, productive, irreplaceable,
> resentful, bored, and unproductive. Overall productivity is
> characterized by **an initial six month period of intense interest**, at
> which time productivity rates are often an order of magnitude higher
> than the oft-quoted 500 LOC/month average. After a short period of
> volatility, the programmer then enters a prolonged phase of steadily
> dwindling interest, resulting in productivity rates that mimic the
> average.

An important disclaimer to add: his perspective is based on his own observations and experiences over the course of six years while working as a senior software engineer.

Although perhaps not as relevant to you since you state you mainly work at night due to critical phases of a project, [other programmers generally prefer working late at night](https://softwareengineering.stackexchange.com/q/108133/15464). Taking Ovan's report into account, and considering that programmers usually work on individual projects at night, a simple reason could be that it's this 'euphoric' drive for short-term individual projects that makes them productive, causing the desire to stay awake and continue work.

Ovans, Russell. ["The programmer life-cycle."](http://dx.doi.org/10.1145/986710.986720) ACM SIGSOFT Software Engineering Notes 29.3 (2004): 25-26.


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