#21

I don’t go to bed early but just to echo some of the things that have been mentioned here already: I read in bed and honestly nothing makes me sleepier (always have to re-read a couple of pages the next day as I’m nodding off before even realising…).

Last year I also bought an actual alarm clock that I keep next to my bed so that I can leave my phone in another room—don’t know if this is an issue for you, but I’m just too weak not to be distracted by my phone. Also the alarm clock is much harsher than my phone alarm (which is a carefully selected song that starts with some gentle guitar picking). Could also of course place the alarm clock away from the bed if that helps, but for me just not having my phone there is a huge help, both in terms of going to sleep at night AND getting out of bed in the morning.

#22

I feel there’s a small typo in here

5 Likes
#23

all you’ve got to do is swing your leg out so that it touches the floor. once you do that, you’re up. I don’t know why telling myself this works, but it does.

#24

A few tips from my experience:

  • Go to bed a lot earlier than you think you need to. Skip dinner if necessary. Simply lie there and count down in your head to being asleep. Really tell yourself in your internal monologue - shout if you have to. Simply repeat In 10 seconds I will drift off into a relaxing sleep. In 9 seconds… Etc.

*If this fails then a quick restless pace around the room will often do the trick. Enough to just draw a few beads of sweat, these will help keep you cool under your thick duvet

  • A thick duvet and a fan heater is a must in all weather, summer included. It might sound obvious but you want the external temperature to be as close to body temperature as you can. So a comfortable 37.5c is ideal.

  • To help with this try a steaming hot bath before you get under the sheets. 42c is my recommendation because this will really open your pores in time for bed

  • After such a great night’s sleep getting out of bed will be tough so you will want to give yourself many attempts. Simply set the alarm to ring at 5 minute intervals from around 3am. With the right mental application and drive you will surely be up by 8.

  • If this fails I recommend seeing a sleep therapist, which coincidentally I am. So DM me for details

#25

I have a sleepy tea around 9ish and that helps me get tired for bed around 10-11.

I find some fresh air is good for really waking up, so when I let the dog out I stand in the garden for a bit, or just take some (quiet) rubbish to the bin or something as that 20 second blast of fresh air helps wake me up properly.

#26

Keep your routine every day, even the weekends. No lie ins beyond about 30mins on weekends.

No caffeine after early afternoon.

I find drinking a glass of cold water first thing really helps wake me up.

Something to look forward to when you wake up, a nice breakfast or a tv show to catch up on. The carrot of waking up.

2 Likes
#27

I’ve been using the phone to automate playing the radio in the morning. Something about having that background noise - it feels less binary than an alarm that needs to be turned off while still being a noise that sort of gets me awake and eases the pain of the loud alarm

1 Like
#28

Takes 21 days to learn a habit, or so they say

#29

these

#30

Supposedly it takes 10,000 hours to get good at a skill. So my advice is to simply practice going to sleep and waking up early for 10,000 hours.

2 Likes
#31

Oh yeah first thing I do is drink a pint of water. Good point.

1 Like
#32

I’ve made a habit of immediately listing the reasons I’m getting up and reminding myself I actually like my job. My partner struggles because she’s not a morning person but also isn’t having the best time at work. A bit of positivity in the morning helps me but I suppose not everyone

1 Like
#33

If you have a clock radio you need to get rid of it. They just cause stress, glowering at you from beside your bed. Put your alarm / phone away from your bed and do not look at the clock after you go to bed!
You don’t worry about time till the alarm goes. This stops the the “I have to get up in X hours” rubbish.
That’ll just stress you out.

God, I love that I don’t have to do shift work any more.

#34

There is an app called barcode alarm where you have to scan the barcode to turn it off. I used to put my barcode in the bathroom cabinet, so I’d have to get to the bathroom to turn it off, and then I’m in the shower, and then I’m awake.

After you’ve done that for about 10 days you’ll probably find you’ll be going to bed earlier, but yeah, little read instead of telly before bed, no screens, no caffeine after dunno 13.00? Stuff like that

#35

Going to bed early genuinely never helps me sleep early, instead I calculate 1hr for falling asleep and 8 hours for sleep, so 9 hours before I get up I’m in bed, doing exercise before sleep, only reading in that 1hr, drinking something warm before sleep like chamomile tea or milk with turmeric (there’s that powder from those pouches you can find in health food shops or aisles) massively helps. Also, if I need to reset my sleeping pattern, I’ll take some night nurse around 8pm and will be out like a light by 10 and awake by 4 or 5am, where ill either sleep for an hour or two or just get up. But I’ve been told by the pharmacist that doing this beyond one night is dangerous and shouldn’t become a habit and if sleeping medication is regularly needed then consult a dr

#36

Yup, that’d be me. It’s called Sleep As Android. The QR code is set up in the kitchen next to the kettle so I may as well just have a coffee instead of going back to bed. And it’s set up so I can’t turn the app or the phone off till it’s done.

I still sometimes switch it off then go back to sleep on the sofa instead though. Morning 'horse is the absolute worst.

1 Like
#37

Also I reckon if you have to get up really early you might as well get up another 30 mins early and try and enjoy being awake when most other people are asleep. Make yourself a nice coffee and take your time a little

3 Likes
#38

Had a colleague who said doing this made her feel like she was retired. Like getting up without the immediate pressure of having to go somewhere, taking her time to cook a nice breakfast and flick through a magazine while the coffee was on, go for a little walk. All just vibes for 2-3 hours and then 8 hours at work felt less awful.

4 Likes
#39

This is actual nonsense. Top stuff.

2 Likes
#40

It’s off The Day Today. Or Brass Eye, can’t recall which. The latter I think, Chris Morris did more of getting celebs in on that series.