How to get more sleep.
Like many modern folk I wake most mornings feeling tired and unready for the day ahead. The simple answer to this is to go to bed earlier. But how do I make myself actually go to bed earlier?
I have read many things that agree that a good 8 hours sleep is important for health and happiness. And several bloggers I read say they go to bed much earlier than I do. They claim the benefits of waking early and well rested. I tend to agree with them that this is a good idea.
I think it is important to have a habit of going to bed at the same time every night. The tricky part for me is actually doing it. When 11pm comes I’m just quickly checking facebook or did someone email me back yet. Or checking my wordpress stats. Or just playing one more map of a video game.
A few months ago I decided I need an automatic reminder. I bought a simple plug in digital timer to use with my modem/router. My internet goes off at 10.30 every night and comes on in the morning for me to write. No computer distraction to keep me awake after 10.30. In theory. Often though I will switch the internet back on to just finish typing an email or last night to post a video on my blog. Then I’ll have a look a something else etc… Last night I was asleep about 12, which is not quite enough sleep. That idea works to an extent. It helps remind me it’s time to stop and go to bed.
My latest idea is to set up a daily event on google calendar with a reminder. My phone should ping me and I’ll get an email and a popup in gmail. Just a little reminder should help. Then I will make it progressively earlier in 5 minute steps. Hopefully I will end up getting more sleep every day. Yes I will have less free time in the evenings but I will enjoy it more as I will be less tired. And I’ll have more energy in the mornings.
Part of it I know is getting up at the same time every day and I’m getting better at that. You get more weekend if you don’t sleep in on Saturday and Sunday. I like that.
Another tip is to be ready for bed well in advance. Teeth brushed, ready for sleep and prepared for tomorrow well before bedtime. This tip comes from Gretchen Rubin and her Happiness Project.
Lets see how that goes. Got any tips for me?
Related articles
- An Overview of Insomnia (genwiblore1.wordpress.com)
- sleep where art thou? (ekclaired.wordpress.com)
- Sleeping In (howtobetwenty.wordpress.com)
- The valuable time of Early Morning (mariaaine.wordpress.com)
- It’s summer… where did bedtime go? (haltonparents.wordpress.com)
- http://www.happiness-project.com/
- The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin (summerbythebook.wordpress.com)
- Gretchen Rubin – The Happiness Project. (shernor2.wordpress.com)
- Book review: ‘The Happiness Project’ by Gretchen Rubin (runningtool.wordpress.com)
- Non-fiction ebooks (ebookstories.wordpress.com)
Great ideas!
Reblogged this on How to be well-rounded in your twenties and commented:
Going to try this! You guys should too!
Thanks for the re-blog. Glad you like my ideas. 🙂
What a fantastic idea to automatically turn off your internet! Will have to give that one a try. It’s also a great tip for parents of teens. Can do the same thing with lighting in the house – I know it’s past my bedtime when our living room light goes off.
Thanks for the pingback!
~Andrea Scott, on behalf of HaltonParents
I’m glad you like my ideas and I hope they help you. Putting lights on a timer is a good idea as well. 🙂
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