Comments on: How to Become an Early Riser http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2005/05/how-to-become-an-early-riser/ Personal Development for Smart People Sat, 09 May 2009 21:45:19 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: James http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2005/05/how-to-become-an-early-riser/comment-page-5/#comment-8441 James Tue, 23 Aug 2005 02:51:32 +0000 http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/?p=161#comment-8441 Whoa, this is a great article and so many replies. Personally, I have always struggled with falling asleep. I think it started in my teenage years. Sometimes it would take me 1 hour to fall asleep and often times 2 or 3 hours. On average though I would have to say it probably takes me roughly 1 ½ hours to be completely knocked out. It’s always the same, whether I’m dead tired or not. I very rarely fall asleep instantly. But on those few occasions it is such a blessing. My diet’s not that great but not that horrible either and I get regular exercise at least 3-4 times a week. I think I may suffer from some sort of sleeping disorder but I never got it checked out and just learned to live with it. In the past I have tried using an alarm clock to wake me up at the same time everyday (around 6:30 AM). I’m always able to get up but I always feel groggy. By 1:00 PM I’m feeling tired again. I think my problem is that I just can’t fall asleep at night, tired or not. I’m capable of staying up the whole night even if I only got 4 hours of sleep the night before. In the end I just decided to l accept the way things are. I still function well enough at my job and there is always that one day of the week that I get the most amazing sleep and wake-up refreshed and ready for the new day… it’s a great feeling. Great article again! Whoa, this is a great article and so many replies. Personally, I have always struggled with falling asleep. I think it started in my teenage years. Sometimes it would take me 1 hour to fall asleep and often times 2 or 3 hours. On average though I would have to say it probably takes me roughly 1 ½ hours to be completely knocked out. It’s always the same, whether I’m dead tired or not. I very rarely fall asleep instantly. But on those few occasions it is such a blessing. My diet’s not that great but not that horrible either and I get regular exercise at least 3-4 times a week. I think I may suffer from some sort of sleeping disorder but I never got it checked out and just learned to live with it.

In the past I have tried using an alarm clock to wake me up at the same time everyday (around 6:30 AM). I’m always able to get up but I always feel groggy. By 1:00 PM I’m feeling tired again. I think my problem is that I just can’t fall asleep at night, tired or not. I’m capable of staying up the whole night even if I only got 4 hours of sleep the night before. In the end I just decided to l accept the way things are. I still function well enough at my job and there is always that one day of the week that I get the most amazing sleep and wake-up refreshed and ready for the new day… it’s a great feeling.

Great article again!

]]> By: MSH http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2005/05/how-to-become-an-early-riser/comment-page-5/#comment-8397 MSH Mon, 22 Aug 2005 17:54:21 +0000 http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/?p=161#comment-8397 UNFORTUNATLEY FOR ME I GO TO BED JUDGING BY THE CLOCK.... NOT MY SLEEPINESS... SO I NEVER EVER FALL ASLEEP WITHIN 15 MINUTES... NORMALLY AT LEAST AN HOUR !!! I HATE IT !!!!! IN THE MORNING I WAKE UP AT THE TIME I WANT TO... I I ALWAYS JUST FALL BACK TO SLEEP.... I HATE THAT TOO !!!!!... THEN I END UP WAKING UP FREQUENTLY AFTER 11AM !!!! I HATE THAT THE MOST !!!! SO THIS MEANS...I WAKE UPL ATER THAN I SHOULD... AND GO TO SLEEP EARLIER THAN I NEED TO.... MY DAYS ARE CUT IN HALF !!! I AM REALLY GETTING ANNOYED... BUT ON THE RARE OCCASION THAT I DO GET UP EARLY... I JUST WATCH TV AND SIT DOWN... (sigh) GREAT IDEAS THOUGH !!!! UNFORTUNATLEY FOR ME I GO TO BED JUDGING BY THE CLOCK…. NOT MY SLEEPINESS… SO I NEVER EVER FALL ASLEEP WITHIN 15 MINUTES… NORMALLY AT LEAST AN HOUR !!! I HATE IT !!!!!
IN THE MORNING I WAKE UP AT THE TIME I WANT TO… I I ALWAYS JUST FALL BACK TO SLEEP…. I HATE THAT TOO !!!!!… THEN I END UP WAKING UP FREQUENTLY AFTER 11AM !!!! I HATE THAT THE MOST !!!!
SO THIS MEANS…I WAKE UPL ATER THAN I SHOULD… AND GO TO SLEEP EARLIER THAN I NEED TO…. MY DAYS ARE CUT IN HALF !!! I AM REALLY GETTING ANNOYED… BUT ON THE RARE OCCASION THAT I DO GET UP EARLY… I JUST WATCH TV AND SIT DOWN… (sigh)
GREAT IDEAS THOUGH !!!!

]]> By: Chris http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2005/05/how-to-become-an-early-riser/comment-page-5/#comment-7777 Chris Mon, 15 Aug 2005 19:06:39 +0000 http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/?p=161#comment-7777 Hi, since you mention the mysterious popularity of this site - could it have to do with the fact that it is a recommended site in "StumbleUpon (self improvement)"? Just an idea, Chris Hi,
since you mention the mysterious popularity of this site – could it have to do with the fact that it is a recommended site in “StumbleUpon (self improvement)”?

Just an idea,
Chris

]]> By: Anthony http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2005/05/how-to-become-an-early-riser/comment-page-5/#comment-6941 Anthony Wed, 03 Aug 2005 20:51:49 +0000 http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/?p=161#comment-6941 Well I went to bed at 10 when I was exhausted. I ate 3 home cooked meals, didn't drink andonce I hit the pillow, wham! My eyes stared at the ceiling for 8 hours straight. I did not set my alarm, I did get up early and get my day started, and I'm not the least bit tired. Not one hour of sleep and I feel great? Maybe my problem has been I sleep too much! I averaged 4 hours a night as a kid and never had an issue with lack of sleep, I always felt fine. So maybe that's the issue, listen to your body and rest when you need rest. I do like the idea of no alarm and just pop up out of bed. That I cannot believe I did this morning. Hmmm. Maybe this whole thing WILL work. And when I can't sleep, I'll just lay there and rest my muscles from working out and get up when the sun starts to light up my room.... Well I went to bed at 10 when I was exhausted. I ate 3 home cooked meals, didn’t drink andonce I hit the pillow, wham! My eyes stared at the ceiling for 8 hours straight. I did not set my alarm, I did get up early and get my day started, and I’m not the least bit tired. Not one hour of sleep and I feel great? Maybe my problem has been I sleep too much!

I averaged 4 hours a night as a kid and never had an issue with lack of sleep, I always felt fine. So maybe that’s the issue, listen to your body and rest when you need rest. I do like the idea of no alarm and just pop up out of bed. That I cannot believe I did this morning.

Hmmm. Maybe this whole thing WILL work. And when I can’t sleep, I’ll just lay there and rest my muscles from working out and get up when the sun starts to light up my room….

]]> By: Anthony http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2005/05/how-to-become-an-early-riser/comment-page-5/#comment-6927 Anthony Wed, 03 Aug 2005 03:52:56 +0000 http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/?p=161#comment-6927 I can fall asleep, and sleep more deeply in bright sunlight, especially if it's rising and in my face, that's my best sleep and I am most comfortable with my blinds never closed. When the Sun comes up and warms my room, I finally feel tired and cozy. I can stay up all night no matter how tired I am. No matter how exhausted I am, once hit the pillow, I am WIDE AWAKE. It drives me insane because I want to get up early, go for a road bike ride, go surfing, etc.. and make a nice breakfast, and be prepared for my day. I will hit the snooze 20 times nonetheless. I am truly tired and ready to sleep around 7AM - 8AM. Sometimes I will fall asleep at 8 or 9, but will still hit the snooze until 10 - 11 AM the next morning. We're talking 14 hours of sleep here. I truly hate going to bed but can't get out of it. OK, I may a little strange or just an Alien from a different World. I've tried valium to get me to bed earlier, but I will still sleep in. If I don't sleep, I'm a trainwreck. Even after a week of getting up early, I'm in shambles and will literally sleep ALL weekend. HARDLY productive in any way. On the weekends, no matter how tired I am, I can pop right out of bed, with a hangover or no sleep, it doesn't matter. No alarm clock. Perhaps there is something psychological with setting an alarm clock, I anticipate it's click and music coming on. I get anxious and it builds and I worry. If I don't set an alarm, I can pop right up and out, even if I have to work on the weekend. I love my job. I think I just answered my own question. I'm going to NOT set my alarm for work the rest of this week and perhaps that will get rid of the anxiety of waiting for that horrid awful thing to interrupt me. Hmm, maybe I don't like to be told what to do, ha! ;o) I can fall asleep, and sleep more deeply in bright sunlight, especially if it’s rising and in my face, that’s my best sleep and I am most comfortable with my blinds never closed. When the Sun comes up and warms my room, I finally feel tired and cozy. I can stay up all night no matter how tired I am. No matter how exhausted I am, once hit the pillow, I am WIDE AWAKE. It drives me insane because I want to get up early, go for a road bike ride, go surfing, etc.. and make a nice breakfast, and be prepared for my day. I will hit the snooze 20 times nonetheless.

I am truly tired and ready to sleep around 7AM – 8AM. Sometimes I will fall asleep at 8 or 9, but will still hit the snooze until 10 – 11 AM the next morning. We’re talking 14 hours of sleep here. I truly hate going to bed but can’t get out of it.

OK, I may a little strange or just an Alien from a different World. I’ve tried valium to get me to bed earlier, but I will still sleep in. If I don’t sleep, I’m a trainwreck. Even after a week of getting up early, I’m in shambles and will literally sleep ALL weekend. HARDLY productive in any way. On the weekends, no matter how tired I am, I can pop right out of bed, with a hangover or no sleep, it doesn’t matter. No alarm clock.

Perhaps there is something psychological with setting an alarm clock, I anticipate it’s click and music coming on. I get anxious and it builds and I worry. If I don’t set an alarm, I can pop right up and out, even if I have to work on the weekend. I love my job. I think I just answered my own question. I’m going to NOT set my alarm for work the rest of this week and perhaps that will get rid of the anxiety of waiting for that horrid awful thing to interrupt me. Hmm, maybe I don’t like to be told what to do, ha! ;o)

]]> By: geoeffect http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2005/05/how-to-become-an-early-riser/comment-page-5/#comment-6915 geoeffect Tue, 02 Aug 2005 17:30:50 +0000 http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/?p=161#comment-6915 I do this. Lord knows how. I just think about getting up at that time when I go to sleep and the next morning it happens. I never set an alarm anymore unless I have something really important to do like catch a plane. Mostly this involves deciding whether I am getting up early to exercise (5:30), regular time (6:15) or late (after 7). These times are all pretty close. I don't think it would work with a time like 4:00. I do this. Lord knows how. I just think about getting up at that time when I go to sleep and the next morning it happens. I never set an alarm anymore unless I have something really important to do like catch a plane. Mostly this involves deciding whether I am getting up early to exercise (5:30), regular time (6:15) or late (after 7). These times are all pretty close. I don’t think it would work with a time like 4:00.

]]> By: Zulfiquar Ahmed http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2005/05/how-to-become-an-early-riser/comment-page-5/#comment-6823 Zulfiquar Ahmed Mon, 01 Aug 2005 10:54:16 +0000 http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/?p=161#comment-6823 I sleep at 11 O'clock and always prepare myself to wake at 5 in the morning and I manage to wake by 5 am but feel very sleepy so that I can not cope with my daily schedule. Will it a matter if I sleep less than 5 hours a day? And how to get rid of this early morning drowsiness? Please help me. I sleep at 11 O’clock and always prepare myself to wake at 5 in the morning and I manage to wake by 5 am but feel very sleepy so that I can not cope with my daily schedule.
Will it a matter if I sleep less than 5 hours a day?
And how to get rid of this early morning drowsiness?
Please help me.

]]> By: Matt http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2005/05/how-to-become-an-early-riser/comment-page-5/#comment-6539 Matt Fri, 29 Jul 2005 13:18:33 +0000 http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/?p=161#comment-6539 For the past few years, I havn't been able to sleep until about 2am. I can get in bed at 11pm, but not drift off until 12:30am. I am going to start practicing this technique. But one thing I want to cure, is the dark around my eyes, and crease under the eyelid. What causes these dark patches? Staying awake too late at night? Also, how much sleep is recommended for the average male? For the past few years, I havn’t been able to sleep until about 2am. I can get in bed at 11pm, but not drift off until 12:30am. I am going to start practicing this technique. But one thing I want to cure, is the dark around my eyes, and crease under the eyelid.

What causes these dark patches? Staying awake too late at night? Also, how much sleep is recommended for the average male?

]]> By: Zakk T. http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2005/05/how-to-become-an-early-riser/comment-page-5/#comment-6173 Zakk T. Tue, 26 Jul 2005 09:30:05 +0000 http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/?p=161#comment-6173 I was always used to sleeping a great deal because of the fact that I thought sleeping as much as possible would give me as much energy as possible. Although on many occasions I would sleep for up to 10 hours most of the time and be groggy throughout the day. While on other occasions I would be getting no more than four hours of sleep and feel just fine. Recently I have only had 3-5 hours of sleep per 24 hour periods. And I say 24 hour periods because my sleeping habits are now thrown way off wack. I've only been getting that amount of sleep for over a week now but I feel just fine during the day (Quite good actually), and I sleep when I am unable to be awake anymore (I fall asleep near instantly). When I was sleeping for as many hours as possible it would take me half an hour to 1 1/2 hours to fall asleep and an occasional two hours of laying in bed before falling asleep. This was because I would go to bed no because I was tired but because I wanted to tack on hours of sleep before facing my next day. I am starting to fear that only getting the amount of sleep that I am right now will catch up to me somehow and have an eventual negative effect. Is this something that I should continue to worry about? And if so how can I change it and keep up the nergy levels that I have now? I enjoy having the amount of time being awake as I do now, I accomplish a great deal more now than I ever have before. But like I said, I am fearing that in long-term it will all catch up. I was always used to sleeping a great deal because of the fact that I thought sleeping as much as possible would give me as much energy as possible. Although on many occasions I would sleep for up to 10 hours most of the time and be groggy throughout the day. While on other occasions I would be getting no more than four hours of sleep and feel just fine.

Recently I have only had 3-5 hours of sleep per 24 hour periods.

And I say 24 hour periods because my sleeping habits are now thrown way off wack.

I’ve only been getting that amount of sleep for over a week now but I feel just fine during the day (Quite good actually), and I sleep when I am unable to be awake anymore (I fall asleep near instantly).

When I was sleeping for as many hours as possible it would take me half an hour to 1 1/2 hours to fall asleep and an occasional two hours of laying in bed before falling asleep. This was because I would go to bed no because I was tired but because I wanted to tack on hours of sleep before facing my next day.

I am starting to fear that only getting the amount of sleep that I am right now will catch up to me somehow and have an eventual negative effect.

Is this something that I should continue to worry about?

And if so how can I change it and keep up the nergy levels that I have now?

I enjoy having the amount of time being awake as I do now, I accomplish a great deal more now than I ever have before. But like I said, I am fearing that in long-term it will all catch up.

]]> By: J Wynia » Getting up early http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2005/05/how-to-become-an-early-riser/comment-page-5/#comment-5922 J Wynia » Getting up early Sun, 24 Jul 2005 11:07:36 +0000 http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/?p=161#comment-5922 [...] the July 24th, 2005 After reading Steve Pavlina’s articles on getting up early (Part 1 and Part 2) and thinking about my own experiences with getting up e [...] [...] the July 24th, 2005 After reading Steve Pavlina’s articles on getting up early (Part 1 and Part 2) and thinking about my own experiences with getting up e [...]

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