Waking up

[Thajocoth]

I'm so bad at waking up, and it keeps getting worse. I don't know what to try next.

Long ago, an alarm clock was enough to wake me.

Then, I'd hit snooze a time or two as I was waking up...

Then I was hitting snooze in my sleep, so the alarm clock wasn't actually doing anything.

Moving the clock across the room forced me to get up. That worked at first... But eventually I could do that in my sleep too.

I added stairs to this at some point. Helped for maybe a week... But then I could reach the alarm to snooze it & return to my bed all without waking up.

One time I went snowboarding with friends. Second day on the slopes, that morning the alarm went off, and my friend let it run while he showered & dressed before waking me & letting me know that I "sleep like the dead".

Now my girl & I sleep with three devices around the room, none near the bed, all with alarms set. Two are alarm clocks. One is her cell phone, with about 5 alarms. I don't even get up to snooze them anymore. I just sleep right through them. One has a constant BEEEEEEEEEEEE-P, one has an irregular pattern of beeps & the phone alarms are all musical (most are upbeat tunes designed to awaken, and one is much softer with a rain sound behind it. I think they all make it easier to sleep, honestly, especially the rain one, but I have them go because supposedly they'll wake my girl up, and if she manages to get up, I will too).

This morning, the alarm clocks were set for 8:00, 8:15, and some times near those on her phone. At around 8:45, my girl nudged me awake and asked me to turn off my alarm clock (the solid beep one). She had also apparently been sleeping through them up until then.

She's got a good reason for sleeping so heavily. A medication she takes at bedtime has a side effect of "fall asleep" and she needs another medication to wake her up. They're both prescriptions.

Any ideas?

[Cuthalion]

You could get a vibratey device and put it under your pillow, or maybe you can plug earbuds into an alarm thing?

[Dr.Epic]

Just get a friend to call you and when they do, make sure they have a ten minute conversation with you so you say awake long enough to get awake.

[Makensha]

How many hours of sleep are you getting?
Is your room really dark in the morning? Are there any ways you can brighten it so that your body wants to wake up (opening a window)?
Are you going to bed with a lot of sugar/ staying awake past when you get to bed? Can this be prevented?
Are there any allergens in your room that are preventing your body from being rested in the mornings?
If all that has failed, have you sought professional help?

I would suggest looking into everything if it is really that crippling.

And don't ever touch a snooze button again. In fact, if you can get an alarm clock that can't be turned off for a period of time, do so.

[Thajocoth]

You could get a vibratey device and put it under your pillow, or maybe you can plug earbuds into an alarm thing?

I move around a lot while asleep. Tangling myself in chord seems like a bad idea. Also, headphones & earbuds seem to make me fall asleep. I've tried listening to music while I work & even Sonic or Megaman music will cause my eyelids to gain weight this way.

Vibration... I don't know how I'd react, but I know it'd make my girl fall more asleep. She's said as much when I asked her about a possible bed-vibrating alarm.

[Erloas]

Go to bed earlier?
Once you get on a natural sleep schedule you almost shouldn't even need an alarm clock. I very consistently wake up at about the same time every day, often 5-10 minutes before the alarm even goes off because I'm used to it. Unless of course I stay up too late the night before.

I would guess you just aren't getting enough (good) sleep. If you are in bed for the right amount of time you might have something like sleep apnea where you aren't really getting a good night's sleep.

[razark]

A. Get a clock radio, and set it half on a station, so you get a mix of sound and static. Turn the volume up as loud as you can.

B. Train yourself by taking 15 minute naps, and setting an alarm. As soon as the alarm goes off, get out of bed and stand up. Reset the alarm, and take another nap. Every time it goes off, stand up. You'll condition yourself to stand up when the alarm goes off.

C. Go to sleep earlier.

[thubby]

more sleep for the sleep god!

have you tried timed lights?

[Thajocoth]

Just get a friend to call you and when they do, make sure they have a ten minute conversation with you so you say awake long enough to get awake.When I want to wake up varies day to day, and I'm not sure who I could even ask. Though, I do know that me talking on the phone is the surest way to wake my girl up if I manage to figure out a way to do what you suggested.


How many hours of sleep are you getting?
Is your room really dark in the morning? Are there any ways you can brighten it so that your body wants to wake up (opening a window)?
Are you going to bed with a lot of sugar/ staying awake past when you get to bed? Can this be prevented?
Are there any allergens in your room that are preventing your body from being rested in the mornings?
If all that has failed, have you sought professional help?

I would suggest looking into everything if it is really that crippling.

And don't ever touch a snooze button again. In fact, if you can get an alarm clock that can't be turned off for a period of time, do so.

Varies... 5-10. Been that way since probably ~16? I'm 30 now. Last night it was about 5 hours-ish.

There's a very bright halo around the curtains. My girl wants blackout curtains because of it.

I wouldn't be surprised if everything I eat is high sugar. Sometimes I lie there a long time, but sometimes I'm tired enough when I lie down to feel like I'm spinning. When that happens I fall asleep quickly. None of this is within my control.

Considering that this progression started on Long Island, went through Manhattan, Austin & now in the bay area (CA), I do not think anything's constant enough for it to be allergens.

This is the first that I've reached a point where I'm unsure how to increase the alarms in some way. I'm not sure who I'd even ask for "professional" help waking up.


Go to bed earlier?
Once you get on a natural sleep schedule you almost shouldn't even need an alarm clock. I very consistently wake up at about the same time every day, often 5-10 minutes before the alarm even goes off because I'm used to it. Unless of course I stay up too late the night before.

I would guess you just aren't getting enough (good) sleep. If you are in bed for the right amount of time you might have something like sleep apnea where you aren't really getting a good night's sleep.

When I'm able to go to bed varies. I haven't had a regular sleep schedule since early high school and I don't expect to be able to change that. There are just too many external factors...


A. Get a clock radio, and set it half on a station, so you get a mix of sound and static. Turn the volume up as loud as you can.

B. Train yourself by taking 15 minute naps, and setting an alarm. As soon as the alarm goes off, get out of bed and stand up. Reset the alarm, and take another nap. Every time it goes off, stand up. You'll condition yourself to stand up when the alarm goes off.

C. Go to sleep earlier.I tried A a long time ago. I found the static to be sleep inducing, not helpful towards waking up. Tried stations as well... Music & people talking didn't work either.

I can't do C. (See above reply to Erloas)

I'm not going to rule B out. It's possible that standing might be irrelevant, since I've gone up & down stairs to reach alarm clocks without waking up... But it could help. Who knows? I'll look into this.


more sleep for the sleep god!

have you tried timed lights?

I'll look into timed lights. That's possible, so long as I can set them each night to a different time.

[Erloas]

I wouldn't be surprised if everything I eat is high sugar. Sometimes I lie there a long time, but sometimes I'm tired enough when I lie down to feel like I'm spinning. When that happens I fall asleep quickly. None of this is within my control.
How is what you eat not in your own control? A lot of sleep related issues (and that is clearly what this is) have a lot to do with general health. What you eat and your activity level both have major impacts on general health.

[Thajocoth]

How is what you eat not in your own control? A lot of sleep related issues (and that is clearly what this is) have a lot to do with general health. What you eat and your activity level both have major impacts on general health.

Spoilered as this is another topic entirely:

I have sensory issues. My body reacts weird to foods. I really wish I could just point to one of the dozens of posts I've written about this in the past when it's come up.

Short version: I can eat sweet, bland & a little salty. My body won't accept anything else. I have maybe a dozen different meals I eat. That's more than it was a couple years ago, so improvement there, but it takes a long time to get my body to accept such a change, and it can only be small changes each.

I've been using yogurt to try to jump forward what textures my body will accept and macaroni & cheese to slowly increase taste intensity (I'm up to: small amount of Velveeta, 1 handful of mild cheddar & 1 handful of medium cheddar; working on slowly phasing out the mild cheddar. Without the small amount of Velveeta though, it lacks sweetness too much for me to be capable of eating it.)

[Kelb_Panthera]

The only device I can think of is an alarm clock I saw on some show I don't remember. It's made and sold in japan. It has this inflatable.... thing.... that inflates and forces you upright when it goes off. You'd probably have to order it on the internet.

Though at the point you're at, unless you're getting either far too little or far too much sleep you probably just need to set a proper sleep pattern. Pick a certain time to go to bed and a time roughly 8 hours later to get up. Go to bed and get up at those times -every- day. Try to develop good sleep habits to help make this easier. Don't do anything in bed except sleep (and that one other thing you need your girlfriend for :smallwink:); no TV, no texting, no reading, nothing. Just sleep. Avoid caffiene and sugar (or any other stimulants that float your boat) for at least a couple hours before "bed-time," so that they have a chance to metabolize. The key is to get it in your head that bed is for sleeping and make it a routine.

If you -are- getting far too little or far too much sleep most nights, you may want to find a sleep specialist or sleep center for proffesional help. Same goes if you're consistently waking up feeling unrested.

[razark]

If you have a regular doctor, talk to it about your issues.

If you don't have a doctor, find one.

[Thajocoth]

The only device I can think of is an alarm clock I saw on some show I don't remember. It's made and sold in japan. It has this inflatable.... thing.... that inflates and forces you upright when it goes off. You'd probably have to order it on the internet.

Though at the point you're at, unless you're getting either far too little or far too much sleep you probably just need to set a proper sleep pattern. Pick a certain time to go to bed and a time roughly 8 hours later to get up. Go to bed and get up at those times -every- day. Try to develop good sleep habits to help make this easier. Don't do anything in bed except sleep (and that one other thing you need your girlfriend for :smallwink:); no TV, no texting, no reading, nothing. Just sleep. Avoid caffiene and sugar (or any other stimulants that float your boat) for at least a couple hours before "bed-time," so that they have a chance to metabolize. The key is to get it in your head that bed is for sleeping and make it a routine.

If you -are- getting far too little or far too much sleep most nights, you may want to find a sleep specialist or sleep center for proffesional help. Same goes if you're consistently waking up feeling unrested.

The inflatable thing sounds interesting. I'd be curious to see something about it. Does it assume your body to be in any specific angle though? Whether I'm on my side or face down varies.

As for a regular sleep schedule... Sometimes I need to be up until 3:00a or 3:30a because we happen to go to events that are an hour drive away and are late at night. Sometimes I don't. Sometimes I need to be up by 8:00a or earlier, like for a vet appointment before work for the cats or I want to get up early enough to shower and get to work by 9:30a, which would let me leave work by 5:30p (earliest I can leave work). Usually I don't (I normally aim for getting to work by 10:30a. We have flexible hours.) My schedule varies too much to keep regular sleep hours.

Last night I slept about 3:15a-8:45a (alarms started at 8:00a), which is a lower quantity than usual. I had trouble falling asleep when I went to bed at 12:15a-ish & had to get up & play video games for a while to clear my head. (Anything on my mind will keep me from sleeping. Video games are the easiest way to clear my head.)


If you have a regular doctor, talk to it about your issues.

If you don't have a doctor, find one.

Seeing a doctor for the first time in a few years later this week. Going to ask about leg braces, vasectomy options, blood tests & get a physical. Talking to a doctor about trouble waking up hadn't occurred to me. I'll likely bring it up, since you mentioned it.

[pffh]

Drink a lot before you go to sleep. You'll (hopefully) wake up when you need a wee.

[Thajocoth]

Drink a lot before you go to sleep. You'll (hopefully) wake up when you need a wee.

For a second I thought you meant alcohol, as some people drink before bed to fall asleep more easily, but I can't stand the taste of alcohol...

Then I realized you more likely meant water... Which reminded me that I need to be drinking more water, just in general. I'm dehydrated. Thanks for the reminder!

Would that work overnight though? Wouldn't that result in an earlier wake up than intended?

[pffh]

Would that work overnight though? Wouldn't that result in an earlier wake up than intended?

Well supposedly that's what some american indian tribe did to wake up for early raids. But ya know take that with a grain of salt since I can't even remember where I heard it.

And if you wake up too early just drink some more and wake up on time for the second wee. :smallbiggrin:

[factotum]

When I want to wake up varies day to day

That, right there, is pretty much your entire problem, I'd say. Is there a reason you want to wake up at random times? If it genuinely doesn't matter when you wake up, then don't bother with the alarm clock at all. If it *does*, then get used to waking up at a particular time; if you need to vary the amount of time you're asleep for, do it by going to bed at a different time, not by waking up at a different time.

[Thajocoth]

That, right there, is pretty much your entire problem, I'd say. Is there a reason you want to wake up at random times? If it genuinely doesn't matter when you wake up, then don't bother with the alarm clock at all. If it *does*, then get used to waking up at a particular time; if you need to vary the amount of time you're asleep for, do it by going to bed at a different time, not by waking up at a different time.

To set a specific time to wake up, is to decrease my sleep regularly. I have flexible hours at work, but other events I go to are at set times. (Generally within the range of 7:00p-2:00a. The shortest is 8:00p-10:00p.)


As for a regular sleep schedule... Sometimes I need to be up until 3:00a or 3:30a because we happen to go to events that are an hour drive away and are late at night. Sometimes I don't. Sometimes I need to be up by 8:00a or earlier, like for a vet appointment before work for the cats or I want to get up early enough to shower and get to work by 9:30a, which would let me leave work by 5:30p (earliest I can leave work). Usually I don't (I normally aim for getting to work by 10:30a. We have flexible hours.) My schedule varies too much to keep regular sleep hours.

So should I just not get enough sleep EVERY night then, just so I can wake up at the same time each morning? That doesn't seem to make sense to me. As is, I don't get enough sleep most nights, but I usually come close.

[Kindablue]

I used to have that problem until I started living on the third floor of an apartment building with this massive dog that barks in my face every day at six in the morning until I take him for a walk. If I need to wake up earlier than that it helps if I repeat to myself out loud what time I want to wake up, so that in the morning I'll be less likely to see the clock and immediately fall back asleep without remembering.

[Kjata]

You might want to look into these. (http://www.amazon.com/Wake-Up-On-Time-Count/dp/B0027SQJYO)

I have never tried them, and have no idea if they work. Apparently they are some sort of time released caffeine pills.

[Thajocoth]

I used to have that problem until I started living on the third floor of an apartment building with this massive dog that barks in my face every day at six in the morning until I take him for a walk. If I need to wake up earlier than that it helps if I repeat to myself out loud what time I want to wake up, so that in the morning I'll be less likely to see the clock and immediately fall back asleep without remembering.

Our cats ignore us while we're asleep...


You might want to look into these. (http://www.amazon.com/Wake-Up-On-Time-Count/dp/B0027SQJYO)

I have never tried them, and have no idea if they work. Apparently they are some sort of time released caffeine pills.

Hmm... Interesting. I can look into it, look at the timing, dosage, etc... I don't take a lot of caffeine as is. I rarely have coffee, leaning more towards soda, and not a lot of it.

[Traab]

Hmm, wonder if you could manage to make a recording of an airhorn at max volume and attach it to an alarm? Also, the harder you make it to turn off, meaning the more you have to THINK to do it, the better. Put it in an open air container, something like a milk crate and padlock it shut so you have to find the keys, unlock the container, then turn off the alarm. Throw the keys in a random direction before you go to bed, or bury them in your clothes hamper.The goal is less about making you get up to do something as to make you wake up enough to think about what you are doing. Like you said, stumbling across the room to hit the snooze button is easy. trying to find a single loose key in a mountain of dirty clothes and unlocking a crate so you can get at the alarm requires thought. Another option might be to use a combination lock. Spin the dial before going to bed so you have to wake up enough to remember the combo and put it in properly.

I do know they have those absolutely INSANE alarm systems that women can get on their key chains. It sets off this sharp, high pitched pulsating whistle that just vibrates your eardrums and drives you insane to hear. Try to get that for an alarm.

[Thajocoth]

Hmm, wonder if you could manage to make a recording of an airhorn at max volume and attach it to an alarm? Also, the harder you make it to turn off, meaning the more you have to THINK to do it, the better. Put it in an open air container, something like a milk crate and padlock it shut so you have to find the keys, unlock the container, then turn off the alarm. Throw the keys in a random direction before you go to bed, or bury them in your clothes hamper.The goal is less about making you get up to do something as to make you wake up enough to think about what you are doing. Like you said, stumbling across the room to hit the snooze button is easy. trying to find a single loose key in a mountain of dirty clothes and unlocking a crate so you can get at the alarm requires thought. Another option might be to use a combination lock. Spin the dial before going to bed so you have to wake up enough to remember the combo and put it in properly.

I do know they have those absolutely INSANE alarm systems that women can get on their key chains. It sets off this sharp, high pitched pulsating whistle that just vibrates your eardrums and drives you insane to hear. Try to get that for an alarm.

That's helpful. I'll have to be a little careful with this route, being in an apartment complex... (The neighbors might not want to get up when I do.) But it's good ideas to look into.

[Dr.Epic]

Typically, I like to be woken up before you go-go.:smallwink::smalltongue:

[Thajocoth]

Typically, I like to be woken up before you go-go.:smallwink::smalltongue:

:smallbiggrin:

-----

Thanks everyone for your suggestions & stuff. I think I got a lot of good information here today & I'll look into the possibilities!

[Jack Squat]

What events do you go to that are overnight? How often are they? Are they something you have to go to, or are they for entertainment? If they're not mandatory, I'd cut them until you get a normal sleep schedule. Basically what's happening is you're getting old(er), and your body is trying to tell you that it needs to rest more. Start sleeping enough, and you'll be able to wake up to your alarms.

I can't get a consistent sleep schedule because of my job (schedule always changes), but I always get enough sleep - If I'm getting up at 04:00 so I can be at work, I make sure to go to bed by 10-11; if I have the day off, I'll stay up as late as I want. Every now and then, I pull where I can take a quick nap or just not sleep for a day or two, but generally if I try that more than once a week, I'm basically a zombie the next day.

[Erloas]

Mostly because I found it very funny I'm to mention it, though I don't think there is a male version you could use at this point. It is the "little rooster alarm clock", if you're just desensitized to audio wake-up cues. Probably best not to search for that while at work.

[THAC0]

Isn't there an alarm clock on wheels that will run away from you?

[valadil]

I have trouble with this too. I've slept through some serious fire alarms. What worked for me was an alarm clock with two alarms. I set them to go off within 10 minutes of each other. I could get up to shut off the first one in my sleep, but it woke me up just enough that the second one would work.


Isn't there an alarm clock on wheels that will run away from you?

Came in here to suggest that. Chasing down an alarm clock should wake anyone. Was going to try this next if the previous clock didn't work.
http://alumni.media.mit.edu/~nanda/projects/clocky.html

[Haruki-kun]

Might I suggest Mr. Goldberg's innovation? (http://www.politics.pomona.edu/dml/RubeGoldbergSimpleAlarmClock.jpg)

[razark]

What events do you go to that are overnight? How often are they? Are they something you have to go to, or are they for entertainment? If they're not mandatory, I'd cut them until you get a normal sleep schedule. Basically what's happening is you're getting old(er), and your body is trying to tell you that it needs to rest more. Start sleeping enough, and you'll be able to wake up to your alarms.
This.

If your late night activities prevent you from getting enough sleep, or from getting a routine, then you need to seriously evaluate how important they are. Are these activities more important than your health and mental state?

[Alejandro]

I have seen almost precisely what you are describing in a friend of mine. The answer is pretty easy: you are getting older, and you are not getting enough regular sleep. A 5 to 10 hour fluctuation is way too much. Plus, going out until 2 AMish is not helping. You're almost certainly causing this problem for yourself, and it will continue until you get more and more-regular sleep.

[Gravitron5000]

I have frequent bouts of insomnia, and the one thing that I notice is that it's always worse when I am not getting enough cardiovascular exercise. I'm not sure if it applies to you, but trying to get a regular exercise routine going, or stepping up the intensity/duration of your existing workout routine might help.

Lighting might also help. There are alarm clocks that are designed to simulate the sunrise that are supposed to stimulate your brain to get moving in the morning. Something along the lines of this. (http://www.philips.ca/c/light-therapy/coloured-sunrise-simulation-hf3520_60/prd/en/)

Otherwise, I would suggest a hydraulic jack under a corner of your bed connected to your alarm clock. Nothing beats waking up by being dumped on the floor.

[Thajocoth]

I have frequent bouts of insomnia, and the one thing that I notice is that it's always worse when I am not getting enough cardiovascular exercise. I'm not sure if it applies to you, but trying to get a regular exercise routine going, or stepping up the intensity/duration of your existing workout routine might help.

Yesterday I got more exercise than the day before (did some fun stuff twice instead of not at all). Was up late (maybe 2:30a) because my girl needed time to drink her tea for her throat. (I hate my coworker for coming in sick; cycled through my body in hours & I barely noticed, but my girl's taking days. She's got "throat coat" tea to help.)

I woke up with the alarm just fine at 9:30a this morning and am really awake, like it's not even still morning, & I haven't had any caffeine yet.

So there could easily be some truth to that. We've been slacking lately where exercise is concerned as we're too busy trying to catch up with everything. We're so far behind... And now she's getting depressed about a little weight gain from it too.

-----

The late events are not often & not work safe (I don't think I can discuss them in the Playground). They're every week Thu, Fri & Sat night, but we don't go to most of them. Fri & Sat are the ones at The Citadel an hour away, and of those we tend to go to the Sat one more often when we go. There's also Wed nights at a nearby Denny's, but that ends by 10p. Once a month there something around the corner on Tuesdays until 10p that we always make it to. Cutting out the friends we play with at these events is not an option. We average one such event per week (some weeks 2 or 0).

[Alejandro]

You don't have to cut out friends, just spend less time out as late. Real friends, anyway, will care more about your health than how much time you spent or didn't spend at something.

Basically, your sleep problems will come from irregular or poor eating habits, irregular or not enough sleeping habits, and lack of exercise. At least two of those and preferably all three will need to be addressed for best results.

[Thajocoth]

You don't have to cut out friends, just spend less time out as late. Real friends, anyway, will care more about your health than how much time you spent or didn't spend at something.

The venues available to do what we want to do are available only when they're available.

[Alejandro]

Well, can't help you, then, as it's your life choices to make. Eventually something will give; your health, how you spend your time, or some exterior event (like an accident falling asleep at the wheel) and it will make the decision for you.

Perhaps you should talk with these friends about Activity X and see if some better times can be arranged.

[noparlpf]

I'm so bad at waking up, and it keeps getting worse. I don't know what to try next.

Long ago, an alarm clock was enough to wake me.

Then, I'd hit snooze a time or two as I was waking up...

Then I was hitting snooze in my sleep, so the alarm clock wasn't actually doing anything.

Moving the clock across the room forced me to get up. That worked at first... But eventually I could do that in my sleep too.

I added stairs to this at some point. Helped for maybe a week... But then I could reach the alarm to snooze it & return to my bed all without waking up.

One time I went snowboarding with friends. Second day on the slopes, that morning the alarm went off, and my friend let it run while he showered & dressed before waking me & letting me know that I "sleep like the dead".

Now my girl & I sleep with three devices around the room, none near the bed, all with alarms set. Two are alarm clocks. One is her cell phone, with about 5 alarms. I don't even get up to snooze them anymore. I just sleep right through them. One has a constant BEEEEEEEEEEEE-P, one has an irregular pattern of beeps & the phone alarms are all musical (most are upbeat tunes designed to awaken, and one is much softer with a rain sound behind it. I think they all make it easier to sleep, honestly, especially the rain one, but I have them go because supposedly they'll wake my girl up, and if she manages to get up, I will too).

This morning, the alarm clocks were set for 8:00, 8:15, and some times near those on her phone. At around 8:45, my girl nudged me awake and asked me to turn off my alarm clock (the solid beep one). She had also apparently been sleeping through them up until then.

She's got a good reason for sleeping so heavily. A medication she takes at bedtime has a side effect of "fall asleep" and she needs another medication to wake her up. They're both prescriptions.

Any ideas?

Huh. I'm great at waking up, it's sleeping I'm bad at. Want to trade? Give me half your sleeping ability and we'll be good.

[Gnomish Wanderer]

Well, this won't help you most of the time, but if you really need to wake up every once in a while try drinking a cup of coffee right before you go to bed (or any other high-caffeine thing). Most people are able to fall asleep before the caffeine kicks in, barring actual sleep problems, but you'll be more awake when you actually wake up.

Again, it won't really be much help in the long-term unless you use the caffeine for a few weeks to get used to waking up refreshed and then wean yourself from caffeine, maybe with an added placebo effect somehow like drinking decaf to convince your body it's still getting the fix.

The reason the caffeine itself won't work for the long-term is that you'll need higher and higher doses to keep it working.

[tensai_oni]

Eventually something will give; your health, how you spend your time, or some exterior event (like an accident falling asleep at the wheel) and it will make the decision for you.

Perhaps so. But there is no need to be so smug about it.

Some time ago, as a university student I had trouble falling asleep. I browsed the internet for advice, and found some sites that supposedly hosted trained, medical professionals. And their advice made me laugh bitterly - these people are so out of touch with reality, they totally overestimate an average person's resources at hand. The best part is how they described a problem like mine as requiring serious intervention, one that should be done EXACTLY as they describe or else you might as well drop dead. I was in no position to do what they said, obviously. I found other means, ones that were within a university student's reach, the problem was fixed - and to the best of my knowledge, I am not dead yet.

We live in frantic, unpredictable and stressful times. For a modern man, even something as seemingly basic as a constant sleep schedule is not always available. It's a luxury, not something to take for granted - and you should not look down on people who do not have that luxury.

[Alejandro]

I don't look down on the problem; if I did, I wouldn't bother to answer. I went through someone else having a similar problem, and it ended up in the ER with crying relatives. So, I don't mince words because I'm trying to spare someone else that pain.

[Kelb_Panthera]

The venues available to do what we want to do are available only when they're available.

I have a suspicion about what you're talking about here, and if I'm right then I can definitely understand how rescheduling isn't a viable option.

If it's just once a week though, it shouldn't be a major hindrance to setting a solid pattern for the other 6 days of the week. I recall learning that it takes approximately 3 weeks of consistency to set a sleep pattern and 3 consecutive days of breaking it to require setting it again. If you miss your "event" for the next three weeks and set a solid sleep pattern based on your work schedule, then going once a week thereafter should work out just fine.

As someone else mentioned, cardivascular excersize can help improve the quality of your sleep as well. If I'm guessing your weekly "event" correctly then it'll help with that too.

[Thajocoth]

I have a suspicion about what you're talking about here, and if I'm right then I can definitely understand how rescheduling isn't a viable option.

If it's just once a week though, it shouldn't be a major hindrance to setting a solid pattern for the other 6 days of the week. I recall learning that it takes approximately 3 weeks of consistency to set a sleep pattern and 3 consecutive days of breaking it to require setting it again. If you miss your "event" for the next three weeks and set a solid sleep pattern based on your work schedule, then going once a week thereafter should work out just fine.

As someone else mentioned, cardivascular excersize can help improve the quality of your sleep as well. If I'm guessing your weekly "event" correctly then it'll help with that too.

That certainly helps. Thanks.

[Chen]

If it's just once a week though, it shouldn't be a major hindrance to setting a solid pattern for the other 6 days of the week. I recall learning that it takes approximately 3 weeks of consistency to set a sleep pattern and 3 consecutive days of breaking it to require setting it again. If you miss your "event" for the next three weeks and set a solid sleep pattern based on your work schedule, then going once a week thereafter should work out just fine.

This seems to have some merit to it I'd say. Mon-Fri I have a pretty consistent get up at 6:20am, go to bed at 11:30-midnight routine. Weekends can vary wildly from going to bed at midnight and waking up at 9am to going to bed at 4am and waking up at 11. Regardless of what I do on the weekend it doesn't seem to ruin my weekday schedule at all.

[Harugami]

you need to mcguyver a pitching machine or whatever to your alarm so instead of making noise it turns on to pelt you until you shut it off.

[Aedilred]

I used to be a very light sleeper, although I was always capable of having stupidly long lie-ins, but in recent years I've found myself getting harder and harder to wake up. I can sympathise with the OP.

I'm inclined to second the advice to try to get some sort of regular sleeping schedule, although I realise this is much easier said than done. Eight hours every night is probably unrealistic, sadly, given the way modern life tends to go, but I find as long as I'm getting more than about six regularly I tend to be ok. It's not the amount of time per se that I find effective; it's the regularity.

I'd also advise taking a look at your diet just to make sure you're on the right track. I get most worn down when I'm not able to eat properly, because I'm just not getting the energy from food to keep myself going. Nothing drastic, just make sure you're eating enough to give yourself sufficient energy for the day. Try to cut down on sugar (generally a good idea for everyone) - it tends to produce energy spikes rather than a consistent slow burn. It's alright for getting yourself jump-started in the morning or to keep yourself awake during a dull afternoon, but try to avoid it in the evening as far as possible. Try to avoid eating at all for a couple of hours before you want to go to bed. Drink as much water as you like, but avoid tea, coffee and other sources of caffeine. Alcohol is so-so: it'll help send you to sleep, but you'll sleep worse.

Also, try to avoid any form of visual electronic stimulation for at least half an hour before you want to get to sleep. Turn off the TV/console/computer and read a book, or do some exercise, or just take a long bath. This is easier said than done, but I do find it helpful.

I'd also consider the ambient temperature of the room, inasmuch as you can control it. If it's too cold, you'll be reluctant to move in the morning, because you'll want to conserve body heat. If too hot, you'll sleep badly, and you'll be sluggish when you wake up. Try to aim for the cool side of comfortable, which for me is around 17-18 degrees C.

There are various alarm clocks that try to help you get out of bed, and that try to assist your sleep cycle in waking you up at the correct time, rather than waking you up abruptly when you're deeply asleep, which is always horrible. I think a few of them were linked to earlier in the thread. It might be worth getting a radio alarm clock and setting it to a talk radio station. Verbal chatter is more difficult to tune out than music, so you might find it irritates you into wakefulness.

If possible, get an alarm clock without a snooze button. I firmly believe that the snooze button is an avowed enemy of humanity, sent from hell to destroy human productivity. Avoid it if at all possible.

[Traab]

you need to mcguyver a pitching machine or whatever to your alarm so instead of making noise it turns on to pelt you until you shut it off.

lol And with the escalating ability to sleep through his alarms, he may go from pelting tennis balls at himself eventually up to cinder blocks.

[qwertyu63]

You could try Clocky (http://www.thinkgeek.com/product/91f2/), the alarm clock that runs away from you. It's kind of expensive though.

[scurv]

I'm not sure it is your issue. But when I was starting to get some hearing loss I started sleeping in. The messed up part is I was the last one to notice the hearing loss. But the solution i found that worked for me was using
task-scheduler on my laptop to play one of my playlists so I had sound and light in the room to wake me up.

[Jay R]

Fundamentally, your body wants more sleep than it's getting. You will never solve this without sleeping more.To keep it from claiming more sleep at the end, you must give it more at the beginning.

So go to bed earlier. It doesn't matter what your excuse is; you will never solve this without sleeping more.

[Aedilred]

Fundamentally, your body wants more sleep than it's getting. You will never solve this without sleeping more.To keep it from claiming more sleep at the end, you must give it more at the beginning.

So go to bed earlier. It doesn't matter what your excuse is; you will never solve this without sleeping more.
Well, you can solve it through brute force and willpower, and just forcing yourself to get up after an apparently "insufficient" amount of sleep. It's not good for you, though. The body will start to adjust, but it'll take it out of you in the long term.