For a quite a few years, I have enjoyed staying up late, either because I would study, watch TV or play computer games. The trouble with staying up late was that the following day I would feel and behave like an ogre. I would be tired, cranky, and generally unpleasant to be around.
The cure for that is simple, go to bed early! That is easier said than done. I love accomplishing things, so staying up later allows me to accomplish more. At least that's what my brain thinks at the time.
The truth is that I am trading in a short gain, for long term pain. I get to accomplish a little bit more today by staying up, but I kill my productivity (and happiness of me and those around me) for the next few days.
These past few weeks, I have been making a conscious effort to go to bed around 9-10pm and get up around 6 am. Today, I woke up at 5 am (on a Saturday, nonetheless!), and did more chores by 8 am than most people do in a week. And it was only 8 am by the time I was done. The best thing about this is that not only did I get up early, but I also felt great that morning, and for the rest of the day.
So, what is the secret to getting up early/going to bed early:
- No computer activities after 8pm.
- Start getting ready for bed half an hour before bed time (brushing teeth, etc.).
- Read a book right before falling asleep (nothing too stimulating).
- Get up early, even if you are tired that morning.
- Do some physical exercise every day, even if it is just going for a walk.
- Avoid drinking coffee and anything with caffeine, or if you cannot kick the habit, at least don't drink coffee from afternoon on.
1 comment:
Thanks, Ivan. We all need this reminder!
A while back, Dr Oz (of the famous Dr Oz show) had a segment on the necessity of preparing for bedtime. It involved some of the things you purport, and was quite ritualistic. He alleged that this is important for a quality sleep.
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