Waking up early: How to???

[Triple J]

You live in California.  Right?

[lethe]

You live in California.  Right?

he's living his life in reverse

[pitbull]

My wife is an insomniac so I subscribe to a Webmd newsletter on sleep disorders.  (Don't ask why it is me that subscribes, not my wife ).  I've learned a great deal from it.  A few tips are that caffeine stays in your system a long time so stop drinking it early in the morning.  Those who think they are sleeping on caffeine are not getting as restful nights sleep as they could.  Even if you can sleep on it, it reduces your REM (not the band, rapid eye movement) sleep.  REM sleep is what you really need to feel rested.  Other things you can do is not sleep with pets,  Make your bedroom conducive to a good nights sleep.  Make it dark and only sleep and sex in the bedroom.  Rebuild your DUC in the kitchen not the bedroom.  If your mattress is over 10 years old, consider getting a new one.  Eat early in the evening.  Alcohol will help you pass out but not get you a good nights sleep.  Alcohol is not conducive to REM sleep.   Don't nap but if you do make them short.  Hope this helps and do a search on Webmd for sleep disorders or insomnia.   

good post right here in regards to caffeine and alcohol. Lots of folks can fall asleep fine with caffeine in their system, but usually don't sleep well throughout the night. I've found by limiting my coffee to a couple cups in the morning and none after noon has made a huge difference.

When my girlfriend and I moved in together she could never get to sleep before 1pm and had to be up by 5 am. After a few days observation the problem was solved fairly quickly. Getting her to stop puttering after 8:00pm, turn off the computer and turn down or off most of the lights in the house turned her from a night owl to an early to bed person fairly quick. Many people simply keep themselves too stimulated with lights, electronics and things to do in the evening to give their brain a chance to shut down and prepare for bed.

It sounds simple, but it works really well.

[akmnstr]

Pitbull, good point about quieting down before going to bed.  I find if I watch an exciting basketball game just before going to sleep it takes me a long time to settle down and fall asleep.  And your observation agrees with what doctors recommend in the newsletter that I receive.

[Jarvicious]

I've been trying to give myself an excuse to wake up early, seeing as how normally I can justify sleeping for almost any reason

This morning's pros:

-waking up early enough to pick up coffee before work (I'm out at home) at a leisurely pace.
-waking up early enough to throw my pants in the dryer before I head to work.  Captain Toasty Pants!!!

[Oldfisti]

I've been trying to give myself an excuse to wake up early, seeing as how normally I can justify sleeping for almost any reason

This morning's pros:

-waking up early enough to pick up coffee before work (I'm out at home) at a leisurely pace.
-waking up early enough to throw my pants in the dryer before I head to work.  Captain Toasty Pants!!!

Toasty socks go quite well with the toasty pants.

[pitbull]

Pitbull, good point about quieting down before going to bed.  I find if I watch an exciting basketball game just before going to sleep it takes me a long time to settle down and fall asleep.  And your observation agrees with what doctors recommend in the newsletter that I receive.

yeah..............the worst for me is a actually being active too late. Because hockey is so popular up here in Canada, many men's leagues can only rent ice time later in the evening. I used to find even a 9-10pm game would keep me up well past midnight. I'm fortunate now that I play in a firefighter leauge that has it's games in the morning, which works out great.

[SacDuc]

You live in California.  Right?

I as wondering if someone as going to catch that. But it is true. Due to some strange coast line geography I can stand at my front door and watch the sunrise over the water and then go to my favorite beach that evening and watch it go down over the water. Its kinda cool.



The coast line of CA is shaped like this:

|
\

I live on the loer half here the coast line faces sw not due west.

Zoom into the Santa Barbara area and you'll see the coast line turn another 45 degrees like this:

\_
   \

So no you're facing due south. Zoom in a bit further on that flat east-est section and the coastline turns another 45 degrees.

   _
_/

So now you are looking southeast. This creates a natural harbor (which is why Santa Barbara as settled in the first place, in addition to the Islands being a great place for smugglers to hang out. And this is how I get to watch the sunrise over the pacific from the est coast.

TADA!


sac

[JEFF_H]

you might also learn some breathing relaxation meditation.
(bear with me)

by concentrating on your breathing, you can learn to turn off your inner monologue if its thinking about stuff that is keeping you awake

[pitbull]

you might also learn some breathing relaxation meditation.
(bear with me)

by concentrating on your breathing, you can learn to turn off your inner monologue if its thinking about stuff that is keeping you awake

+ 100

I usually avoid talking about meditation as it often triggers people's hate for new agey ideas, but I couldn't agree with you more.

meditation and reading lots of buddhist philosophy (although I wouldn't label myself a buddhist) has gone further to relieving stress in my life than anything else. And with less stress comes less mental chatter for me, and a much easier time falling asleep.

[Vindingo]

you might also learn some breathing relaxation meditation.
(bear with me)

by concentrating on your breathing, you can learn to turn off your inner monologue if its thinking about stuff that is keeping you awake

I am not too big on sleep, but I would really like to be.  I'd say I avg about 5 hrs and it is never relaxing or refreshing.  For some reason I feel like I get my best work done between 9pm to midnight and it takes a while to wind down afterwards.  

I have recently tried the breathing/ meditation thing and it has worked well when I remember to do it.  Once in a while I will even go so far as to do a couple of aums while laying down.  

I have also tried sleeping pills and booze, respectively and simultaneously and they are both horrible.  There will be plenty of time to sleep when I'm dead I guess...  

[He Man]

the less sleep u get while ur alive, the sooner ull be sleeping when dead.

a lil booze always helps me get going. I find that after i metabolize the alcohol, i ALWAYS feel sleepy after sobering up.

[Jarvicious]

you might also learn some breathing relaxation meditation.
(bear with me)

by concentrating on your breathing, you can learn to turn off your inner monologue if its thinking about stuff that is keeping you awake

[/quote

That's definitely been part of the ritual, for the last couple of months actually.  It doesn't matter, however, if you do it but don't really mean it

I've also been trying to use the method my mom taught me when I was little.  You lay down, and concentrate on your toes.  You relax your toes, then you work your way up your body relaxing each part as you go.  It's basically the same principal as deep breathing.  As long as you take your mind off the fact that you're trying to fall asleep, you'll fall asleep. 

Too bad I make the beast with two backsed up this evening's chi with band practice.  Nothing gets you ready for sleep like some good old fashion, ear numbing rock and roll   We'll see how tomorow fairs.  I've found that this whole "lifestyle change" is easy in the short run, but overall difficult to maintain.