Really struggling with waking up / getting up
Discussion
So, as above... help?
I have 2 phones (one mine, one work).
Both have alarms set for 7, 7:15, 7:30 and 7:45. There's also a secondary alarm for 8:45 when I'm working from home (I start at 9).
Despite this, and having my blinds adjusted so the natural light can enter my room, I find it incredibly difficult to wake up and then actually get up without going back to sleep.
This morning I had planned to be in the office but I ended up waking up (consciously, I must have woken up subconsciously prior to turn off my alarms or they say "missed alarm") at 8:07 - To get to the office on time means leaving by 8!
I'm fed up with it frankly. Does anyone have any recommendations or advice?
I have 2 phones (one mine, one work).
Both have alarms set for 7, 7:15, 7:30 and 7:45. There's also a secondary alarm for 8:45 when I'm working from home (I start at 9).
Despite this, and having my blinds adjusted so the natural light can enter my room, I find it incredibly difficult to wake up and then actually get up without going back to sleep.
This morning I had planned to be in the office but I ended up waking up (consciously, I must have woken up subconsciously prior to turn off my alarms or they say "missed alarm") at 8:07 - To get to the office on time means leaving by 8!
I'm fed up with it frankly. Does anyone have any recommendations or advice?
Then I struggle to actually get to sleep.
Usually watch an episode or two of a TV show to relax, then I whack on Top Gear and fall asleep to that (I have always had to have the TV on to fall asleep, it's on a timer so usually turns off about 15-20 minutes after I've entered the land of nod).
I would say I am asleep by 1am at the latest. I've always been a night owl and this isn't anything new to me.
The issue is I naturally struggle to fall asleep much earlier than this, so any attempts to fall asleep at say 11, just stress me out
Richyvrlimited said:
what time do you go to bed / sleep?
Get into bed around 10:30/10:45.Usually watch an episode or two of a TV show to relax, then I whack on Top Gear and fall asleep to that (I have always had to have the TV on to fall asleep, it's on a timer so usually turns off about 15-20 minutes after I've entered the land of nod).
I would say I am asleep by 1am at the latest. I've always been a night owl and this isn't anything new to me.
The issue is I naturally struggle to fall asleep much earlier than this, so any attempts to fall asleep at say 11, just stress me out
roboxm3 said:
Put your alarm at the other side of the room!
I could do that but I worry that it would not wake me up!Hoofy said:
Just get into bed at 11pm and don't do anything. The boredom will have you asleep if you need it.
Do you check your phones in the middle of the night? If yes, then stop it. It isn't important.
Haha, I wish, it really doesn't, I just end up tossing and turning! Do you check your phones in the middle of the night? If yes, then stop it. It isn't important.
I try not to check my phone. I make a point of not checking my phone when I've decided I'm going to sleep.
okgo said:
Quite possibly, but how anyone thinks watching 2 hours of TV then leaving the TV on before going to sleep at 1am is the route to success regarding waking up at a sensible hour I do not know.
It's just what I have always done? No need to come into a thread asking for help with a condescding attitude. It's becoming annoying as sometimes I find myself waking up later than I want to.Better than going to sleep at 4am and waking up at 2pm like I used to do, or when I was at school and my Mum had to literally drag me out of bed to get me ready for school or I'd pretend to have a migraine and bunk off to sleep.
Much in the way oldbanger seemed to be?
Maybe it's unrelated but sometimes at the weekends I may sleep at 1 or 2am but not wake up until 2 or 3pm, I may wake up at around 8/9 but I still feel shattered so go back to sleep.
944fan said:
Do you exercise? Helps with falling asleep.
You should not use electronic devices for about 90 mins before bed. They give off blue light which tells your body its wakey wakey time.
Are you depressed? Not being able to get up in the morning can be a sign of this.
Some tips here:
https://sleepfoundation.org/sleep-tools-tips/healt...
I do not exercise in a routine, if I'm in the office at work I'll usuall walk 3 miles to Tesco and back, run around with the dogs in the evening etc, but that's about it. I'm a bit fat, not Mr Blobby levels but could do with shifting a few lbs which I understand will help.You should not use electronic devices for about 90 mins before bed. They give off blue light which tells your body its wakey wakey time.
Are you depressed? Not being able to get up in the morning can be a sign of this.
Some tips here:
https://sleepfoundation.org/sleep-tools-tips/healt...
I do suffer from depression and I'm on Citalopram but have been on-and-off for about 5 years and doesn't seem to coincide with the issues I'm facing lately.
Thanks for the link, I'll give it a good read, and the suggestions to others for some other alarms and ideas
I like the one about not being able to silence the alarm until a maths problem has been solved. This would be handy.
Ok, I think we can start by cutting out the TV. I'll ease into it I think, instead of watching 2 episodes of whatever show (house of cards currently!) I'll watch 1, will turn off the TV, if I struggle to sleep I'll maybe find an Audio book or a pod cast which can play from my phone.
Will try the maths alarm and move oneof my phones to the other table which means I'd have to actually get up (or kick the table over lol)
My natural routine is sleep between 3 and 5am and wake up at around 2-3pm.
I am looking to change my habits to something which will allow me to hopefully sleep better and wake up more refreshed in line with the working week, which is why I am asking for help :-)
Will try the maths alarm and move oneof my phones to the other table which means I'd have to actually get up (or kick the table over lol)
Quickmoose said:
You know you have a 'problem' and just because you've always done it, doesn't make what you're doing 'ok'. Indeed the very fact you're on here talking about it suggests what you're doing ain't working. I didn't read it as condescending, I read as what 99% of the readers will think to themselves, ie: their opinion...
Fix the obvious stuff first, then work at other solutions.
A special night light, distant alarm with cryptic puzzle 'off' routine and going for a jog each evening doesn't mean that watching TV until your eyes and brain can't take anymore is healthy... come on, you may have always done this, but you must know that it's not good for you?
I didn't say it was good or what was best, but it's just that I had always done it, and I meant more in regards to the mocking of the "night owl" - I have always naturally been up late at night and sleeping during the day. Fix the obvious stuff first, then work at other solutions.
A special night light, distant alarm with cryptic puzzle 'off' routine and going for a jog each evening doesn't mean that watching TV until your eyes and brain can't take anymore is healthy... come on, you may have always done this, but you must know that it's not good for you?
My natural routine is sleep between 3 and 5am and wake up at around 2-3pm.
I am looking to change my habits to something which will allow me to hopefully sleep better and wake up more refreshed in line with the working week, which is why I am asking for help :-)
I am 24.
I work in IT doing support and consultancy, so between 9 and 5:30, standard hours so to speak.
I do on call but it's rare to get called out past 9pm .
Quickmoose said:
Is your job flexible?
My job is fixed, location flexible. I work from home 3-4 days a week.I work in IT doing support and consultancy, so between 9 and 5:30, standard hours so to speak.
I do on call but it's rare to get called out past 9pm .
RizzoTheRat said:
Have a look for circadian rhythm alarm clock apps for your phone. They're quite a good idea, leave your phone under your pillow and it uses the sensors to track your movement and work out how deeply asleep you are. You then set a window for the alarm and if it detects you're only lightly asleep at any point in that window it wakes you up. I had a play with one and found despite sometimes waking me up half an hour early I was a lot more awake.
Long term using a phone app isn't ideal as you don't want to be charging it under the pillow, but it's a cheap way to check if that approach works for you before splashing out on a proper clock to do it.
I've tried apps like that before, and they also record your sleep. Never had much success and I'd often end up muffling my phone with the pillow lolLong term using a phone app isn't ideal as you don't want to be charging it under the pillow, but it's a cheap way to check if that approach works for you before splashing out on a proper clock to do it.
okgo said:
The rease I asked how old you were is because "My natural routine is sleep between 3 and 5am and wake up at around 2-3pm" is just something a student or someone with no place to be would do. I used to do it in college also, why go to bed, nothing to get up for. Funnily enough, like you, I found if I tried to do that while maintaining a job it was quite difficult. So I went to bed earlier. Also when you get a mrs she aint gunna want to fall asleep to three middle aged prats on the box, so you may as well get out of the habit now.
Thats my natural routine. As in what i usually slip into when I'm not working (ie new year break).My mrs (i have one thanks) and she quite happily sleeps with whatever i have on tv!
maxxy5 said:
It could be a symptom of your depression, it makes your brain overactive during sleep, so you sleep badly and wake up tired. Maybe try different drugs/treatment? I know that some anti-depressants help the brain to 'turn off' at night (but I don't know which).
The other advice in here is sensible, try getting up at the same time everyday, no matter how tired you feel during the day to start with. Stick with only one alarm time, (you could set more than one alarm at that time) and focus on it. Later and later alarms are probably just an excuse for your semi-sleeping brain to ignore the early ones, and it also reinforces a lack of confidence in yourself, which won't help you stick to a goal.
I've tried the maths alarm apps, unfortunately I discovered I could just turn the phone off rather than doing the sums... doesn't matter where they are in the room. I quite like the idea of having to go and get a stool!
Possibly. I'll see about changing my medi had been off them for about 8 months then i had to go back on them. For the 3 week to 2 month period after starting i simply couldn't sleepThe other advice in here is sensible, try getting up at the same time everyday, no matter how tired you feel during the day to start with. Stick with only one alarm time, (you could set more than one alarm at that time) and focus on it. Later and later alarms are probably just an excuse for your semi-sleeping brain to ignore the early ones, and it also reinforces a lack of confidence in yourself, which won't help you stick to a goal.
I've tried the maths alarm apps, unfortunately I discovered I could just turn the phone off rather than doing the sums... doesn't matter where they are in the room. I quite like the idea of having to go and get a stool!
But thats quite a while ago now!
Cheers man :-)
Carrot said:
Read the Watch subforum. Some of the freakishness in there will either terrify you awake or send you right to sleep.
"Wrist time"...
Hahah! Good ideaI'll bear it in mind :-)"Wrist time"...
shep1001 said:
Sleep apnea?? Mrs has it. Meds keep her awake during the day just fine but getting her out of the pit in the morning is a nightmare. Not enough of the right type of sleep apparently
My mrs says i do stop breathing the night sometimes, but not for long. So possibly!Anyway thanks everyone for the advice i am mow in bed and going to see what happens tonight, first night and all that.
GT03ROB said:
How do you cope with jet lag?
Never had it luckily!Muzzer79 said:
Are you tired during the day? There's a difference between being burned out through lack of sleep and just struggling to get out of your pit every morning, but being OK once you've stuck your head under a shower and had a coffee.
Cheers for the tips :-)Umm, well usually I will wake up, feel crap, feel a bit better after brushing my teeth / shower etc.
Then by the time i get to work I'm knackered. between 11am and 4pm I feel pretty good. Then after 4 ish then I start to feel really drowsy and I could sleep at 6pm which is not ideal as I'm driving home haha.
I've been mitigating the driving home by having a coffee about half an hour before I head home.
edit: forgot to say, must have fallen asleep around 11:15. turned off the TV and stuff around 11 - I woke up before my alarms at 6:45 feeling a lot fresher than I have for a long time.
Edited by xjay1337 on Tuesday 12th January 10:02
Has a point about getting half out of bed.
Get as far away from the bed as possible... hmm...
Glad to hear it works OK for you haha :-)
I think the idea of having the bedroom just for sleeping is good, currently I am lodging so do not have the option. But even in my own flat before the idea of staying in bed and watching a movie was always better than the sofa haha.
I remember with an ex she always used to complain I snored a lot, never mentioned I stopped breathing.. only my current partner, she never minded it as much anyway, but told me about the lack of breathing. Although apparently lately, over the last couple of months I am snoring less. I'll ask her to keep an ear out for my breathing if she can.
Thanksk guys, last night I ended up staying up till about midnight (just did) but even so I was better in the morning than I was, tonight I have just gotten back from working on my car and are pretty tired so i'll be sleeping shortly
Get as far away from the bed as possible... hmm...
Bradgate said:
I'm a fellow owl, so I synpathise.
I am never, ever sleepy before 1am, and I have always had real problems getting up before 8 am, particularly at this time of year.
I try to bully my stubborn body clock to comply with society's norms by winding down after 10pm. No caffeine after dinner, but I do sometimes have a couple of drinks. Definitely no tv, music, radio, phone or iPad in the bedroom, which is kept as dark and silent as possible and is used exclusively for sleeping. Ok, not quite exclusively....
As a reward for being good during the week and getting up before my body wants to, at weekends I usually stay up to whatever time my body decides it wants to go to bed, which is usually around 3 am, then get up around 10. I feel much better for it, too.
Interesting :-)I am never, ever sleepy before 1am, and I have always had real problems getting up before 8 am, particularly at this time of year.
I try to bully my stubborn body clock to comply with society's norms by winding down after 10pm. No caffeine after dinner, but I do sometimes have a couple of drinks. Definitely no tv, music, radio, phone or iPad in the bedroom, which is kept as dark and silent as possible and is used exclusively for sleeping. Ok, not quite exclusively....
As a reward for being good during the week and getting up before my body wants to, at weekends I usually stay up to whatever time my body decides it wants to go to bed, which is usually around 3 am, then get up around 10. I feel much better for it, too.
Glad to hear it works OK for you haha :-)
I think the idea of having the bedroom just for sleeping is good, currently I am lodging so do not have the option. But even in my own flat before the idea of staying in bed and watching a movie was always better than the sofa haha.
krallicious said:
How much alcohol do you drink? I have found that alcohol keeps me awake but then again this has started since I hit 30.
I'm teetotal and have been for 5 years. Prior to that I would perhaps have a beer or two in the evening but never got drunk. Dave_newcastle said:
Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) is a very serious condition. My being diagnosed and treated with OSA then changed my life from a period of extreme fatigue and difficulty getting up, back to normality.
I suggest you please consider going to your Doc and ask for an appointment to see if it could be a possible cause.
I will go to the doctor but I fear they will say it's because of my weight.I suggest you please consider going to your Doc and ask for an appointment to see if it could be a possible cause.
I remember with an ex she always used to complain I snored a lot, never mentioned I stopped breathing.. only my current partner, she never minded it as much anyway, but told me about the lack of breathing. Although apparently lately, over the last couple of months I am snoring less. I'll ask her to keep an ear out for my breathing if she can.
Thanksk guys, last night I ended up staying up till about midnight (just did) but even so I was better in the morning than I was, tonight I have just gotten back from working on my car and are pretty tired so i'll be sleeping shortly
Hi, thanks for the latest posts.
I dont drink alcohol at all and rarely coffee, certainly after 2/3 is a no no
Ive been sleeping better lately, I started having the tv off or streaming a youtube video to my phone and not watching it, just listening.
I've been with a girl for about 3 1/2 months and ive been sleeping a lot better with her lol.
I dont drink alcohol at all and rarely coffee, certainly after 2/3 is a no no
Ive been sleeping better lately, I started having the tv off or streaming a youtube video to my phone and not watching it, just listening.
I've been with a girl for about 3 1/2 months and ive been sleeping a lot better with her lol.
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