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mikeal / self-care

Discussion repo for developers to share their self-care routines
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How to ensure enough sleep? #4

Open ilias-t opened 5 years ago

ilias-t commented 5 years ago

Curious what strategies people use to ensure they're getting enough sleep each night (7-9 hours).

graysonarts commented 5 years ago

I have a very regimented sleep schedule that only varies by 30 minutes or so on when I go to sleep, and never varies on when I wake up. For me, it's about discipline. I know what time I want to wake up, so I make sure I go to sleep to allow myself the sleep I need.

casconed commented 5 years ago

Pretty similar to @RussTheAerialist - my wake time is set so that I can make it to the gym in the morning. My bedtime is set so that I get enough sleep before then. I find it helps to not bring work into bed (laptop stays outside the bedroom) keep the lights down low, etc.

There are nights I can't pull this off but they are the exception rather than the rule

michaeljaltamirano commented 5 years ago

Like the other commenters, I get my best sleep within a routine. Usually this means that I have a set time that I get to bed, which gives me enough time to spend some time reading in bed (usually fiction) before I get tired and turn off the lights. I also exercise most mornings during the work-week, which is a big motivator for making sure I get enough sleep each night, and I try not to drink caffeine after Noon.

Additionally, I take melatonin nightly. This piece is a long write-up on it but I linked specifically to the section about how it helps with self-discipline. Beyond it potentially inducing feelings of sleepiness, for me, the moment I take it, I know that I need to be in bed within 30 minutes. It's basically me saying: "Alright, time to wrap up whatever I'm doing and start the nighttime transition/routine to get to bed." (I plan on taking some right after leaving this comment!)

asgartech commented 5 years ago

This is tangentially related, but if your partner tells you that you snore, or you find that you're still tired despite consistently getting 7-9 hours of sleep, you need to see your primary care physician about a sleep study. If your capitalist death panel objects, have the doctor say it's for erectile dysfunction (which is how my doctor justified my sleep study).

If you have sleep apnea, (and you probably do if you snore), getting that treated will do wonders for your sleep quality, your physical and mental health, and your productivity. I've been on a CPAP for two weeks now, and I've already halved my consumption of sugar and caffeine.

mikeal commented 5 years ago

Similar to the above, forcing a consistent wake up time had the natural effect of pushing my bedtime earlier. For me though, again, this was forced by having a baby who gets up ~6am :)

MikeMcQuaid commented 5 years ago

I set an alarm/alert for going to bed and use Autosleep on my iPhone/Apple Watch to keep track of how much I'm sleeping.

Programazing commented 5 years ago

I realized that I was just spending too much time on my computer at night and it was my biggest distraction.

I decided to take power away from myself by buying an application called Cold Turkey which I use to lock myself out of my computer at 9 PM every weekday.

I take it a step further by having my router plugged into a digital timer that I can't reach. The timer is preset to cut power at 9 pm and not restore it until 8 am. That way I ensure I'm at work when it comes on or in the case of the weekend I force myself to not use my computer or phone first thing in the morning.

The next thing I did was buy a digital alarm clock which has a battery backup in case of power outages. I use the alarm clock because I don't bring my phone into my bedroom. I know if I do I'll be tempted to use it even though I get horrible reception.

I put up a curtain rod with several heavy duty Command Strips and hung up blackout curtains. I used the velcro style 3M strips to keep the curtains tight to the wall to keep out sunlight. I personally go to bed around 8:30 pm or 9 pm and it's still bright out in the Summer. Total darkness will absolutely help you fall asleep faster and stay asleep.

The final thing I did to ensure I got enough sleep had a sleep study done. Turns out I have sleep apnea and required a CPAP machine. My CPAP was the best thing that ever happened to me. I sleep the whole night through and actually wake up not feeling tired. The machine isn't magic and doesn't give me boundless energy but it has brought my baseline of energy up to a neutral level which in itself is amazing.