Guys That Are Night Owls - How Do You Deal With Chaotic Sleep Schedule?

[Big Daddy]

So dudes,

I'm this owl that has the easiest time in the world staying up all night 'till 8 in the morning.

This gets particularly aggravated by the fact that I only have classes in the afternoon. But even when it wasn't the case, I'd do on the weekends every fucking time.

Even if I lift that day, even if I'm busy all day, I just have the easiest time in the world going through the night (given that I stay at home -- if I go out I do get tired, obviously. Unless I drink some Red Bulls, then I'm fucked).

It's normal for me now. I'm having macaroni at 6 am like as if it were my last meal of the day.

Evidently, while I'm able to sleep relatively well, it has huge drawbacks. Since the world (and everybody else) doesn't work (most of the time) when I'm awake, I often face many problems with this motherfucking sleep schedule.

I know I won't be able to stop it completely, but I'd be cool going to bed 2-3 am. I don't want to try weird/fucked up sleep schedules with naps and shit because that's exactly what I'm trying to avoid. Just going to bed at waking up like a somewhat regular person that doesn't have to wake up at 7 to work at 9.

Do you guys have any thoughts/comments?

P.S. Advice like "just commit to something (i.e. most likely a job) in the morning so you have no other choice but to wake up!" won't work here because even if I do get a job, I don't plan working 9-5 anyways. As soon as I got off of it I'd revert back to these habits (as I have done in the past). I want to solve the root of the problem, not just control it.

If you are a freelancer/business owner with a decent sleep schedule I urge you to make a comment!

 

[Tim Iron]

dont drink coffee or any stimulant after 2pm.
dont sleep diring the day not even for 30 minutes.... by 10pm you would start feeling drowsy...

i was working at nights from 2008 - 2012 till i had a serious case of 1 - 3 hours daily migraine, then i had to adjust bad habits...

 

[Richard]

I have one day a week where I fall asleep earlier than usual and it seems to balance out the rest of my nights. Playing pool on league and in general sometimes keeps me up until 4 in the morning, and when it's not pool it may be school stuff, or some video game, or I'm streaming professional pool matches off YouTube. Nearly every night I'm awake long past I probably should be so one day a week (minimum) things start to catch up with me and I fall asleep early - that refreshes me entirely and I'm raring to go all week long again.

 

[Chase]

BD-

I find if I can willpower it for a week, I can get myself back to a normal sleep schedule.

That usually means all necessary work done by 7 or 8 PM and computer off by 10 PM or 10:30 PM, finished getting ready for bed by 11 PM or 11:30 PM, and in bed by midnight.

Once you've done it for a week straight, it's easy to stick to because your body adjusts and you feel tired by whenever your new hit-the-hay time is. You'll gradually get to sleep later and later if you're a night owl, but so long as you avoid any "Oh shit, it's already 1 AM but this 3 hour project HAS to be done for tomorrow!" scenarios, you won't suddenly jump back to getting to bed overly late.

Chase

 

[TheChased]

I have the same problem, but I have found that the computer is the devil when it comes to sleep. I have a really active mind, so everything gets super interesting, and I find my self not having the willpower at times to just turn the computer off. Also 10mins of sleep makes me go for 4 hours more. I have tried reading books instead, so I don't get that blue light from the screen hitting my face(which is bad). It works better, but if it's a really good book.. Then I'm fucked, but still go to sleep earlier than I would with the computer on my lap. I would say working out helps me tho, but you say it don't help you that much..

At what time do you wake up? You should try to wake up earlier if it's more than 10:00. Also, if you don't get enough sunlight, that could fuck with your sleep. You can fix that with a special lamp that should help with that (Don't have it my self, but I'm considering it. Don't remember the name either..). You could also get a lamp that turns itself on when you're supposed to wake up, I find it harder to wake up if there's no light in the room. As I have no problem sleeping, I could probably sleep through an earthquake if I was tired enough. My problem (seems like you have the same problem) is that I have a problem with falling asleep. I have read that waking up at the same time every day should help too. Also meditating in the bed helps me some times. Just concentrating on your breathing so your mind don't have any other thoughts. Another "mind trick" is to visualize images in you head, just clear your mind of words and create images or "movies" instead. It works the same way as the breathing, also works for me some times.

Hope some of this helps.
-TC

 

[Big Daddy]

Hey gents,

Thanks for you input.

I don't drink coffee during the day because it upsets my stomach, but you guys pointed something else that might be acting as a stimulant that slipped my mind: the computer.

One thing that I forgot to mention is that I'm 2-3x more productive during the night than I am during the day. So I'm sure that plays a role as well.

You'll gradually get to sleep later and later if you're a night owl, but so long as you avoid any "Oh shit, it's already 1 AM but this 3 hour project HAS to be done for tomorrow!" scenarios, you won't suddenly jump back to getting to bed overly late.

This is the main reason I end up with fucked up sleep schedules! Most of the time what disrupts abruptly my sleep schedule during the semester is pulling all-nighters for exams.

To a lesser extent, but still relevant in the long-term, browsing the Internet and finding something SO interesting that I just keep digging and imagining lots of different things that are related to whatever I just found. But as you pointed out, I have a tendency to do it on the long-term so I just have to keep an eye in turning off the computer before the point of no return.

Damn computers, I certainly downplayed its role in sleeping well.

I have a really active mind, so everything gets super interesting, and I find my self not having the willpower at times to just turn the computer off.

Exactly the same, bro.

I use f.lux to get rid of the blue light from the screen... I don't think it made a difference because my room is so damn well lit with white fluorescent lamps everywhere that I'm sure I'm still affected by blue light even with f.lux.

I would say working out helps me tho, but you say it don't help you that much..

It definitively makes me feel tired, but I don't feel the "desire" to sleep if you can understand what I mean. I'm tired as motherfucker, but I'll stay at the computer until dawn. But I'm definitively better off lifting.

At what time do you wake up?

Around 12 pm if I got classes that day, otherwise around 2-3 pm. Actually, I'd like to wake up like 10 am after 8 hours of sleep. Any sooner than that I'm losing precious time because my most productive is during the night.

Also, if you don't get enough sunlight, that could fuck with your sleep.

Yeah, certainly. I'll make sure to get some this week.

My problem (seems like you have the same problem) is that I have a problem with falling asleep.

Yep. More exactly, I have problems going to bed. Once I'm tired, by the time I lay on my bed, I can sleep in under 15 minutes.

I'll cut back some computer time and turn it off no later than midnight. Let's see how it goes... I'll report back.

 

[TheChased]

Seems like we have the same problem, actually I've been trying to sleep all night. It's 6.30 in the morning here now.. And now I don't know why, as I'm actually tired and I want to sleep. This is going to be a hard day.

It definitively makes me feel tired, but I don't feel the "desire" to sleep if you can understand what I mean. I'm tired as motherfucker, but I'll stay at the computer until dawn. But I'm definitively better off lifting.

Yeah, I know exactly what you mean!

Around 12 pm if I got classes that day, otherwise around 2-3 pm. Actually, I'd like to wake up like 10 am after 8 hours of sleep. Any sooner than that I'm losing precious time because my most productive is during the night.

You could try and push yourself and wake up at 10 am all week and see how it goes. Then you'll probably be quite tired at 2-3 am. I have classes around 8 am and 12 am, so that has definitely pushed me to not stay awake too late. But as soon as I have vocations I fall back and stay up all night and sleep to 2-3 pm. Sometimes the weekend is all that takes.

Thanks for the tips on f.lux, def. gonna try that out!

 

[TheChased]

I found the name of the lamp:
Philips Wake-up LED Light - HF3520/01

Here's a video of how it works:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E_Xic_YhVFg

I'm actually gonna go buy one of these today, I've heard a lot of great stuff about it.

-TC

 

[Big Daddy]

Reporting back -

I tried forcing myself into waking up early as Chase suggested and that resulted in a few 3 hours-of-sleep days, but by the fourth day I was exhausted. Then I began to sleep earlier (around 2 am). Still irregular, but at least I felt the desire to lay on my bed by around that time.

Then I went on and cut the computer after midnight. I bookmarked all articles and videos during the day, then I'd lay on my bed by 0:30 in low light (lampshade) with an orange lenses clip on my glasses to reduce blue light and get around my reading for the day on my phone. I'm thinking about getting a Kindle as well. By 1:30-2 I was sleepy as motherfucker.

The main culprit, I believe, is exactly what you guys pointed out - the computer. It gives too much opportunity to work on various things, gives to much to think and maybe blue light has something to do with it as well.

Most of the days I still miss the windows because I'm trying to bulk right now and I find myself cooking meals late at night, but at least I've been consistent with waking up at 10 am. I'd like to starting doing while sleeping 8 hours per night, the difference it makes on my life is nothing short of absurd.

@TC

Yeah dude, I've read a lot of reviews about this thing. It's been on my wishlist forever. I can't buy it now because I'm sharing a room and it would wake up my roommate as well, but maybe in a couple of months I'll be able to get it. Let me hear what you think once you get it.

The other lamp you mentioned is also manufactured by Philips and it's called blue light lamp or something like that. My be a good trick into manipulating your body if you ever wake up late... I'll get both when I get the chance.