It has been mentioned many times on this here Blog, and as of this moment I am announcing:
I can no longer attempt to stick to a twenty four hour sleeping pattern, I give up! You win!
(I'm not entirely sure who 'you' are, but, damn 'you'!)
Aaah, so that's a little better.
My unemployed but settled status this really does seem like the ideal time to see what happens when I abandon alarms and such¹ in the quest for a 'normal' sleeping pattern. Well ideal aside from the fact I'm staying with my parents who are 'temporally normal', and this house conspires to make my every move known to all its occupants; hopefully I won't cause too much frustration.
I am actually very glad for this opportunity to get lots of activities done. I believe that contrary to the impression it gives, my being a slow and agitated person when forced to wake up before I am ready does not make me lazy and work shy. Which is exactly the attitude adopted by most people.
I'm not sure why it is, but the worker arriving fresh-eyed and alert at seven in the morning and leaving promptly at three in the afternoon, is always regarded above someone like myself, more suited to twelve hour stints on and a proportional twenty four hours off. At the risk of going off context here: In an office where you have a team this certainly makes sense; you want people to be around at the same time. But for me as a programmer maybe that is not only unnecessary, but actually harmful.
Regardless of whether this actually 'exists' and I actually have it, or I am just a lazy, unprofessional slob, I might as well be scientific about it.
I've briefed my parents, I'm going to keep a 'sleep' diary, and stick to the following lifestyle:
- No use of any sleep intervention device (mechanical or human), except as an emergency backup when I do have an existing engagement.
- No caffeine, except when I need to be alert for an existing engagement.
- No alcohol, except in (I'm going to try) moderation at the weekends.
- No smoking. Although it's worth noting that I was smoking fairly regularly up until around ten days ago, so it's possible nicotine withdrawal could have an effect.
- I will try to get out for a run of at least half an hour during each substantial awake period.
- A generally healthy diet, I'm pretty much a vegetarian, I get my five a day and drink lots of water, etc.
- I'm not going to do any heroics with regards to trying to stay awake, if I'm feeling tired I'll get ready for bed and read my book or engage in a similarly relaxing activity.
Here we go!
¹ For your amusement here is a list of all the 'cures' I have tried to date, off the top of my head:
- An alarm.
- Several alarms.
- An alarm set to many times.
- Several alarms set to several times.
- Alarms in/on/under/away from my bed.
- Having people call me to wake me up.
- Having people in the room wake me up.
- Exercise; both first thing after I wake up (horrible), in the afternoon, and before bed.
- Abstaining from caffeine (I went for four months).
- Drinking caffeine first thing in the morning.
- Setting an alarm early, taking some pro-plus, and then going back to sleep.
- Abstaining from alcohol (well aside from a few pints on the weekend, I'm human..)
- Being a non-smoker.
- Being a smoker.
- Creating a 'relaxing' environment: Candles instead of a computer, etc.
- Keeping the curtains open/closed to allow/eliminate natural light.
- Changing beds.
- Sleeping on a sofa.
- Sleeping on the floor in a sleeping bag.
- Sleeping naked/fully clothed.
- Forcing myself in to the shower out of bed (I can easily put myself back to bed afterwards).
- Drinking plenty of water.
- Taking one-a-day vitamin pills.
- Meditation.
- Rehearsing the act of getting out of bed and leaving the house when I am awake.
- Ensuring everything I need (clothes, bag, etc.) is ready so I can leave the house immediately.
- Having a television / radio / music come on automatically in the morning.
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