True for me. I often get really sleepy around 9-10 PM. When I force myself to go to bed right then, when my eyelids are heavy, I usually sleep through the night (with perhaps a 15-minute semi-awake period in the middle) and wake around dawn feeling well-rested. But if I shrug off my drowsiness, I usually get a second wind around 11 that will keep me going until at least 1 AM, and then the next day I don't feel rested at all.
I have vastly different values but same effect. If I sleep when I am drowsy I sleep solid for 1 to 3 hours, then I am awake for sometimes 3 hours after that. If I sleep again it's solid until midday, which leaves me waking up at the same time as before except with 3 hours wasted awake in bed in the middle.
If I take the second wind I am awake until early morning and then out like a light for a solid 8 hours, again waking at midday.
I have tried dozens of possible schedules and I eventually revert to this if given time. When working a 9-5 it inevitably turns into an 11-7 and I am tired all the time regardless.
that reminds me: in the past humans had 2 sleeps and an awake period in the middle. you could try and get up and get some work done in that middle period? https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-16964783
I did that for about 3 months this year. I would go to bed around 6, wake up at 10. Then I would eat, go for a walk, and work on my hobbies/side projects until about 3AM and sleep until 7AM. It was honestly a very refreshing way to live.
