Ask HN: How can I fix my sleep schedule? • Hacker News Board

Re: Ask HN: How can I fix my sleep schedule?

#11

Post by WheelsAtLarge » Tue, Jun 21, 2022, 11:47 PM UTC

I have the same problem. Except that I get my 8 hours. I get enough sleep but I'm missing out on a lot of morning activities with other people. My problem is that I won't go to bed until I'm sleepy. I always feel like I'm missing out if I go to bed earlier than I have to so I wait until I can't function anymore. That's usually 2 or 3 in the morning.

Funny you write about your situation since I'm working on my ,hopefully, solution. I've tried some of the same things as you but I go back to the same routine. I've decided to get rid of all distractions in my room. No TV, no phones and even a clock. I have an echo that I can ask the time if I need it. No caffeine for now. A book to read. I'm also blocking out all natural light in my room and replacing it with a lamp the mimics sunrise and sunsets.

We'll see how it works. My plan is to get to bed by 10 and up by 6:30 or such everyday. So I will start to get ready an hour earlier. Saturday and Sundays too. I've also added a daily stroll at 7 am so I don't feel like I'm getting up early for nothing. I think that part of the fix is making sure to stick to a routine and not deviate. Since I'm bound to fall back to my old routine over time. I hope it works.

Maybe you can get some ideas from my solution.

Re: Ask HN: How can I fix my sleep schedule?

#12

Post by al_borland » Wed, Jun 22, 2022, 3:33 AM UTC

The thing I’ve had the best luck with was going to the gym each morning. I picked a small gym they did group classes, and sign up to go every day in the morning. I don’t miss appointments and if I have a reason to get up, I’m much more likely to go to sleep at a reasonable time. It’s not about the exercise, it’s about having a place to go where someone is expecting me and people will notice if I don’t show up. Also, since it is exercise, if I don’t get enough sleep I’ll pay for it.

Getting up early to do stuff at home that I could, in theory, do after work never did it for me. I find it much easier to break promises to myself than to others.

Without a reason to wake up in the mornings I’d be up until 5 and 6am. It’s a real problem. Back in high school I would always stay up until 3am. After college I worked 3rd shift for several years and that just made things a lot worse. I won’t realize how bad I screwed up my sleep until the birds start chirping or the sun comes up.

Re: Ask HN: How can I fix my sleep schedule?

#13

Post by wruza » Wed, Jun 22, 2022, 9:08 AM UTC

vlod wrote: post #8

Jocko Willink (Navy Seal) has a lot to say about this. He gets up at 4.30am but that might be unrealistic, at least to start with. :) I think the trick is to commit to get up at a certain time, say 6.30am with no excuses. Stay up till 3am if you want, but once that alarm goes at 6.30, don't snooze, just get up. Also don't take a nap during the day. Eventually your body will tell you to hit the sack at 11pm.

Jocko mastered will (alternatively, is a synth). Mere mortals will have hard time to “Just do it. No matter what. It’s hard. You ignore that. Discipline comes from the inside”. But as a motivational material he’s great.

Re: Ask HN: How can I fix my sleep schedule?

#14

Post by vlod » Wed, Jun 22, 2022, 12:49 PM UTC

wruza wrote: post #13

vlod wrote: post #8

Jocko Willink (Navy Seal) has a lot to say about this. He gets up at 4.30am but that might be unrealistic, at least to start with. :) I think the trick is to commit to get up at a certain time, say 6.30am with no excuses. Stay up till 3am if you want, but once that alarm goes at 6.30, don't snooze, just get up. Also don't take a nap during the day. Eventually your body will tell you to hit the sack at 11pm.

Jocko mastered will (alternatively, is a synth). Mere mortals will have hard time to “Just do it. No matter what. It’s hard. You ignore that. Discipline comes from the inside”. But as a motivational material he’s great.

> No matter what. It’s hard. You ignore that.

Of course it's hard but do you really think there's another solution? I just tried to get to the point and not sugar coat it. The OP has said they have tried several things but they have failed. I read that as they've tried several things and given up because there wasn't a quick fix and just gone back to doing X that causes Y.

I'm fairly certain the OP knows what the problem is. Others have posted similar responses. No phones/video games, exercise, read book, set a reminder to go to bed. Get up at the same time no matter what. Your rhythms will reset.

One can try and motivate them or understand the root cause (sometimes that can be even harder to solve), but ultimately it comes down to discipline. Most of the time there isn't a magic pill one can take or as something simple as blue screens. Medication/stretching before bedtime to get rid of the stresses of the day, having a good sleeping environment, dim lights etc can all help to a degree.

People will try and sell you stuff that they say will work, but it's mostly BS or something that is only slightly effective and ignoring the obvious solution which they can't sell you anything.

As others have said it's probably because of too much dopamine simulation. As a society we've got used to not being bored.

Have dinner at a reasonable time, then go for a big walk (without listening to podcasts or texting constantly) and making sure no internet after 10pm. Set a reminder to go to the bedroom at 10.30pm, then go read a book in bed.

Bottom line: Get your ass to bed at X and always get up at Y no matter what. :shrug: