Gen Z Shares Mom’s Noon-Sleeping Reaction — Sparks Divided Opinions

The phrase "early to bed, early to rise" is one that many have heard since childhood, typically instilled as a symbol of hard work and achievement. For some, though, the advice varied— they were told to stay in bed longer and focus on getting enough rest, paying attention to what their body actually required.

Similar to Dana Joy Seigelstein, 27, who recently received 6.7 million views on TikTok (@ danajoyseigelstein ) after explaining how her parents respond when she sleeps in until midday.

Seigelstein, an account executive based in Westfield, New Jersey, referred to her family as "sleep supportive" and questioned her audience whether their families share similar characteristics.

To her astonishment, numerous users shared that their experiences regarding staying up late vary significantly. contacted Seigelstein by email regarding her July 27 video that has generated discussion online.

Seigelstein stated, "I believe that not ever feeling embarrassed about occasionally staying up late as an adult didn’t make me view things differently. It wasn’t until I posted this video."

The Sleep Foundation states that most healthy adults require between seven and nine hours of sleep per night. Seigelstein said she usually goes to sleep sometime between 9 PM and midnight, and gets up at various times from 6:30 AM to 8:30 AM during weekdays, and between 8 AM and 11 AM on weekends.

In the video, she mentions that if she oversleeps until noon and informs her mother, her mom will just reply, "It looked like you needed it."

A study headed by Xiaoling Wang, a professor of medicine, pediatrics, and biostatistics at Augusta University, discovered that extended sleep during weekends is linked to accelerated biological aging.

Several other studies have associated this "social jetlag" with issues like cognitive deterioration, weight gain, diabetes, elevated blood pressure, and emotional disturbances—probably because of interruptions in our internal body clock resulting from uneven light exposure and unpredictable sleeping patterns.

Nevertheless, obtaining sufficient rest is crucial. During sleep, your brain creates new connections that aid in learning, remembering, solving problems, making decisions, and fostering innovation. The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) points out that lack of sleep can hinder these functions and has been associated with emotional challenges, sadness, and dangerous actions —including those who are children and teenagers.

In terms of physical health, sleeping aids in restoring the heart and circulatory system, maintains equilibrium in appetite-related hormones, controls glucose levels, promotes bodily growth and maturation, and strengthens the immune system.

Lack of quality sleep can raise the chances of developing major health issues like cardiovascular problems, weight gain, type 2 diabetes, and cerebral vascular accidents.

"When I was growing up, I don't recall either my mother or father waking me up when I preferred to keep sleeping," Seigelstein stated.

Currently, as an independent adult without any dependents, this remains a priority for her. She mentioned I don't criticize myself for needing an additional hour in the morning.

This is a benefit because my sleep is determined by me (I am the one making the decision).

I'm not sure why staying up late is considered negative—if you understand, you might miss part of the day. However, when someone sleeps in, maybe there's a deeper reason—are they still up all night? Are they unwell? Do they feel sad? Was their week particularly hectic?

The clip went viral, receiving over 906,000 likes and more than 22,000 comments—many viewers shared stories about how their families respond to sleeping in.

"Ooo, looks like someone finally woke up!" "Good morning, or maybe I should say good afternoon?" I had no idea someone could be part of such a sleepy-friendly family. That's awesome," commented one user with 210,800 likes.

"I grew up in a family that didn’t support sleeping much, so once I got jealous when my aunt asked me and my cousin to be quiet because another cousin was trying to take a nap (we were all in our 20s). My parents never did that either," shared another user.

Another one said: "taking a nap was considered a serious offense in my home."

A fourth person stated: "My father often mentions that if I stay up late, my body requires it; otherwise, you wouldn’t remain asleep."

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