Comments on: Sorting out my sleeping patterns

By: links for 2008-04-03 | smarterthanyouraverage.com

links for 2008-04-03 | smarterthanyouraverage.com — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 13:42:35 +0000

[...] Sorting out my sleeping patterns » doctorvee Oooh, love a blog post with a good graph. And sleep is always an interesting subject. [...]

By: Sleeping patterns: progress update « doctorvee

Sleeping patterns: progress update « doctorvee — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 13:07:06 +0000

[...] first post about my sleeping patterns was a surprise hit. So I have decided to write a second update as I reach the halfway mark of my [...]

By: doctorvee

doctorvee — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 13:27:49 +0000

Great tips again 4u1e! Sleep deprivation therapy sounds a bit scary, and sounds quite difficult for me to pull off anyway. The other tips sound more like it, I’ll definitely try out the alarm at the other side of the room.

By: 4u1e

4u1e — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 08:56:32 +0000

Despite your view, interesting post! Very sensible comments all round.

What worked for me with a similar problem was ‘Sleep deprivation therapy’. Or something like that. I picked it up in a sleep workshop in Sarf London (!). It’s more about building your sleep up to the full 8 hours (or whatever) if you’re not getting enough. The principle is that you set yourself a rigid waking time, but deliberately go to bed late to deprive yourself of sleep. Over a period of weeks you then keep your getting up time constant but slowly (in 15 min chunks, I think) move your going to bed time back. The first week is a nightmare, but it does work. You can probably google the details.

As far as getting up at the right time: alarm clock across the room works for me, particularly if you arrange things so you can’t just tumble back into bed. You could also try setting the lights to come on at your get up time.

For getting to sleep at the right time: warm milky drink (yeah, it’s a cliché, but it helps); mediation or relaxation exercise before going to bed; cold-ish bedroom; avoiding reading or watching telly in bed. The advice I was given if you’re lying awake in bed for more than an hour is to get up and read something really boring for about 15 mins.

Routine is your friend in all of this.

By: doctorvee

doctorvee — Sun, 06 Apr 2008 18:33:46 +0000

Thanks for the comments everyone. Sorry it’s taken me so long to respond — had a busy weekend.

Tom — Thanks for the tip on tea. I’ll stop drinking it after 6pm.

Duncan2 — I’ve tried the trick of putting the alarm clock at the other side of the room. Problem was that even then I would go straight back to bed! Might be worth trying again though and see if I have the discipline to stay up this time round.

Thanks James!

I have to say, I’m surprised this post got such a reaction. I thought this was quite a lame post but it has got a good response and I’ve come away with some great tips. Thanks everyone!

By: jameshigham

jameshigham — Sun, 06 Apr 2008 05:28:13 +0000

Had to laugh so much – wonderful, Duncan – it goes straight into the blogfocus.

By: duncan2

duncan2 — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 18:20:28 +0000

reminds me of when I was a student, I went from sleeping in in the mornings, to not getting up until the evening and going to bed at dawn. not a good pattern to get into. normal work hours will force you into a more typical sleep pattern, but if you really want to be a night owl, you can always get a nightshift…

cut out all the caffeinated drinks, coke etc. put your alarm clock away from the bed, so you’ve actually got to get out of bed to switch it off. get one that’s both noisy and awkward to switch off.

By: Graeme

Graeme — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 15:11:16 +0000

I usually have the reverse problem – falling asleep in front of the telly during the evening (and MISSING what I stayed up for!) and sometimes waking up before my alarm (which is set for 5.30am).

I’d also say that caffeine looks like part of your problem. If cutting that doesn’t work I find a couple of glasses of wine have the opposite effect. Dunno if you drink though.

And drink the wine in a warm, but not hot, room.

By: links for 2008-04-03 - Smarter Than Your Average

links for 2008-04-03 - Smarter Than Your Average — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 01:37:29 +0000

[...] Sorting out my sleeping patterns » doctorvee Oooh, love a blog post with a good graph. And sleep is always an interesting subject. Published in Links [...]

By: Adam

Adam — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 20:40:57 +0000

I was exactly the same until I got a proper, full time job. I still don’t kip till gone 4am on a Sunday night – but when you have to get up or be fired it really helps your sleeping pattern. I wouldn’t let it stress you out too much.