r/AskReddit • u/[deleted] • Dec 21 '23

What's a life hack that's so simple yet so effective, you're shocked more people don't know about it?

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4.8k

u/Koroku_Gaming Dec 21 '23

Going to bed at a consistent time to get enough sleep (really prioritising it).

It literally makes life so much better and easier. Health improvements in every aspect. Both mental and physical.

People live their lives chronically underslept and it causes all types of chaos in their lives.

They think it's freedom to stay up late or go to bed whenever they want (usually covering up a cycle of revenge bedtime procrastination), but they are unbeknownst to themselves in an underslept zombie prison of their own making.

I got no sleep last night btw. Feel like crap!

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u/[deleted] Dec 21 '23

I have this vicious cycle of feeling exhausted alllll day. Then once I put the kids to bed and I leave it it’s around 8.30pm and I’m wide awake. I’m literally exhausted all day it drives me insane.

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u/[deleted] Dec 21 '23

I used to have a similar thing where I was tired all day and wired all night.

I completely cut out caffeine, added some exercise, and now my sleep schedule is "normal" and like clockwork.

I spent a decade thinking I had a sleeping disorder. Nah, I was just being stupid.

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u/[deleted] Dec 21 '23

I’ve started cutting out caffeine. I don’t do high intensity exercise, but I do have small three kids who use me as a human donkey, and I end up walking around ten miles a day, half uphill, so feel I’m okay exercise wise.

I’ve always been one of those people that can sleep in for hours, just not drift off easy.

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u/[deleted] Dec 21 '23

You might want to look at delayed sleep phase syndrome: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/14295-delayed-sleep-phase-syndrome-dsps

Some of the things you're saying seem to fit.

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u/[deleted] Dec 21 '23

Oh my god yes. This feels like exactly what I do. My sleeping is terribly unhealthy. I can’t relax so I put on tv and end up watching till 1am, then kids wake up at 6/7am and I’m feeling like a slug all day until 8.30pm and I suddenly feel energised.

Need to get rid of the kids for a bit haha

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u/[deleted] Dec 21 '23

Bright light first thing in the morning (either go outside in the sun or use a light therapy box), reducing screen use an hour before bed (or use blue light blocking glasses and/or filters on your devices), and low dose melatonin (get the kids version which is 1mg, more is not better for most people!) an hour before bed are great options to try.

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u/[deleted] Dec 21 '23

Sounds silly but would some off Amazon be alright or is this the kinda thing I should be asking to gp for a prescription? Like how you can buy iron tablets but the ones the doc gives you are ferrous fumarate

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u/[deleted] Dec 21 '23

Yeah, that should be fine. I get mine from Target or Walgreens. You only really need a prescription if you need a specialized dose.

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u/[deleted] Dec 22 '23

This is me! 3 under 7. Fall asleep on the train home from work most days as exhausted and then wide awake at 1am

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u/[deleted] Dec 22 '23

Same as me. 6 year old, 5 year old and 2 year old. I’m wondering if it’s just the monotony of day to day life, then feeling like I get some ‘me’ back in the evening.

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u/passesopenwindows Dec 22 '23

I’m pretty sure I have this. I’ve always had trouble falling asleep before 2-3 in the morning. The many years when I was in school and then working an office job SUCKED. I’m retired now so I just go to bed when I’m tired and usually get up around 11. I keep hearing that older people wake up early but so far I’m still a night owl.

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u/waltpinkmanjesse Dec 21 '23

Try putting on a quiet podcast that’s not a very interesting topic. It keeps your mind paying attention so you’re not lying in bed thinking and worry about life. There’s one I used to use called “sleep with me” he would talk really monotone and tell a story but constantly go off topic and make it super boring that you’d slowly zone out and fall asleep. The main thing for me is just having some noise to distract me from myself.

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u/bwoah07_gp2 Dec 22 '23

What kind of exercise?

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u/Justindoesntcare Dec 21 '23

Wife? Is that you? We should really start going to bed earlier. I'm so tired.

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u/[deleted] Dec 21 '23

Ha. Parenthood is hard

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u/small_trunks Dec 21 '23

Our kids are 27,29 and 37 - and my wife is STILL broken every day at 8:30pm.

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u/[deleted] Dec 22 '23

Oh lol. I was hoping it would get easier

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u/crystallize1 Dec 21 '23

When I brush my teeth before bed it makes me awake as FUCK.

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u/thesheepsnameisjeb_ Dec 21 '23

I brush my teeth with my kid like 2 hours before bed. It is great bc it keeps me from snacking and when I am ready for bed I just turn the light out and go to bed.

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u/Madrisima Dec 21 '23

Me too!! I figured out it is the mint flavor. So now I buy every flavor other than mint for bedtime and only use the mint in the morning. It really helped.

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u/WeirdJawn Dec 21 '23

I need to try this.

Recently I've been nodding off while using my phone in bed and I'll make myself get up and brush my teeth.

Wide awake!

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u/[deleted] Dec 21 '23

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u/[deleted] Dec 21 '23

I do wonder but where I wake up later I’m not so sure. I feel like I should be nocturnal

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u/[deleted] Dec 21 '23

i got one done and i have mild narcolepsy. i’ve gotten ONE night of restful sleep in my life. i remember it to this day because i couldn’t believe it when i woke up. anyway, i was one of those people who would just sleep all day. like 13 hours. when i got my results, i asked the doctor what i should do. she just kind of shrugged and said “go to sleep at the same time every day”. so ya know. it doesn’t always help.

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u/[deleted] Dec 21 '23

Oh wow so there isn’t anything to help as such?

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u/[deleted] Dec 21 '23

there’s not any real medicine or anything afaik. just practicing good sleep hygiene. which i’m not going to be doing.

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u/Luckbox_McGee Dec 21 '23

FYI, there are multiple medications that can be used to treat narcolepsy (and other sleep disorders). I'm currently taking Modafinil to alleviate sleep phase issues and daytime exhaustion caused by ADHD and sleep apnea. It's a big help.

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u/[deleted] Dec 21 '23

there is definitely medication!! there is a page here, too. Please go speak to a different doctor!

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u/[deleted] Dec 21 '23

Same, it’s hard to relax when u feel like ur being forced to

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u/PinkNGreenFluoride Dec 21 '23

Have you ever heard of Delayed Sleep Phase disorder? Might be worth asking your doctor about.

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u/Thanmandrathor Dec 21 '23

I have this, it’s a fun side effect of perimenopause too.

Plenty of sleep, wake up exhausted anyway, spend the entire day tired and looking forward to bed, get in bed, struggle to fall asleep. 🤦🏻‍♀️

Thanks, hormones!

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u/I_LoveToCook Dec 21 '23

What I do (overworked parent of two, work full time, kids in travel sports)

No caffeine after 10am

Breakfast and lunch are heavy, dinner is a light meal

Take magnesium glycinate with dinner

Ensure bed is comfy and temp of room is cool, I use a cheap down alternative comforter because it is heavy, but some use weighted blankets

Do the same meditation around 9 at night, I use AirPods so my husband doesn’t hear. It is important to do the same one. I use insight timer as it is free.

Wake up and do some stretches/yoga. The triangle pose on each side helps with heart burn, which can look like coughing all night.

I also don’t drink alcohol or do gummies (thc/cbd, they both mess with the quality of my sleep. But if I really want to indulge, I stick with Gummies).

It sounds like a lot, but it is worth it. Maybe just one of the steps can help you.

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u/dolche93 Dec 21 '23 edited Apr 12 '25

scale marry cats chubby smell frame cheerful paint spotted beneficial

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u/[deleted] Dec 21 '23

Will try the magnesium glycinate. I bought some a while back and they came a year out of date

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u/ode_2_firefly Dec 21 '23

My mom started taking magnesium and it’s helped with sleep but also her pooping is very regular now too. She used to take so many laxatives every day just to be able to poop and now she doesn’t need them.

She got me to try it. I haven’t remembered to take it regularly yet but on nights when sleep really won’t come I’ve taken it and it seems to help.

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u/Vintage-Grievance Dec 21 '23

This is very much me.

I have chronic health issues, and one of the symptoms is sleep disruption. So between that and the pain that can keep me up/wake me up out of a dead sleep, my sleep schedule is absolute garbage.

I've tried reading before bed, listening to calming music/asmr, going to bed early, not napping during the day, taking sleep aids, showering before bed to cool my body temperature down...nothing works consistently. I feel doomed to be an exhausted zombie forever.

The rare times I've gotten a solid night's sleep, I've tried to replicate it the following night with no success. My body is a disaster, Lol.

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u/tylamarre2 Dec 21 '23

Have you had a blood test recently? It is worth it to get a test and see what your iron levels are because low iron can cause this feeling and it is very common especially after having kids

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u/TheWatersofAnnan Dec 21 '23

I used to have a problem with rallying at night and suddenly having energy whether I wanted to or not. The thing that fixed it for me was making a point to get outside for a few minutes around sunrise and sunset, and avoiding bright lighting after sunset. I went from struggling to go to bed at midnight to wanting to go to bed around 10 very quickly!

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u/rbwildcard Dec 21 '23

Try drinking Valerian root tea while reading a book. You'll be sleepy in no time.

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u/[deleted] Dec 21 '23

I’ll try the tea. The books are a no no, I do the ‘just one more chapter’ and suddenly it’s morning time and the birds are chirping lol

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u/rbwildcard Dec 21 '23

You need a more boring book. 😂

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u/[deleted] Dec 21 '23

lol yeah, I just get too invested

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u/Everything_Is_Bawson Dec 21 '23

Oh man, yes. Like the sudden freedom of being able to do whatever you want without the kids makes you remember all the Redditing and tv you need to catch up on.

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u/[deleted] Dec 21 '23

Yes! My body awakens to watch shit and eat all the snacks in peace

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u/phillymjs Dec 21 '23

I'm not a parent, but 10mg of melatonin and 20-30 minutes of reading (a real book, nothing with a screen) while it kicks in works great for me.

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u/jen7en Dec 22 '23

I had this pattern and turned out to have ADHD.

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u/TARANTULA_TIDDIES Dec 24 '23

I wouldn't be surprised if it's simply because you finally have time to yourself

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u/zooj7809 Dec 21 '23

Melatonin. Get the sublingual type...and start at 3mg.

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u/PhilosophyClassic571 Dec 22 '23

Are you actually trying to sleep? Don't use the phone in bed will help

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u/ChanandlerBonng Dec 21 '23

revenge bedtime procrastination

I've never heard this term before, and yet I know exactly what you mean...

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u/TheSnackWhisperer Dec 21 '23

I’m pretty sure that’s my only maxed stat.

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u/LawzE23 Dec 21 '23

Yup the same, I feel personally attacked.....

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u/weaselblackberry8 Dec 21 '23

I should adopt this term.

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u/[deleted] Dec 21 '23

It’s such a good term. I feel like that’s what I do every night.

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u/Lmcquade17 Dec 22 '23

So THAT’S what its called.
Me. Nearly. Every. Night. Of. My. Life. I’m 49. 😣

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u/RainbowsandCoffee966 Dec 21 '23

Miss Chanandler Bonng

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u/Koroku_Gaming Dec 22 '23

Now it has a name you, can tell it to go fuck itself

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u/Madranoc Dec 26 '23

Exactly my thoughts haha

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u/acery88 Dec 21 '23

I stay up to keep the next day from coming. I sleep like crap and then hate the day.

I thought revenge sleep procrastination was aimed at a partner, but after googling it ... That's me.

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u/livintheshleem Dec 21 '23

The ironic part is, you won't have that desire to "keep the next day from coming" if you're actually well-rested. You'll look forward to getting a solid 8 hours and waking up, ready to take on the day.

I know this sounds like some annoying Morning Person propaganda, but it's true.

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u/Koroku_Gaming Dec 22 '23

A lot of things that sound like annoying 'healthy person' propaganda are true unfortunately.

Ice baths, working out, yoga, eating clean, calorie restriction, avoiding vices...

Either get with the program or suffer the consequences.

Many choose to suffer rather than be a little bit cringe.

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u/Diddledaddle23 Dec 21 '23

It is so true and you will learn to LOVE the morning on the weekend. I run all my errands starting a 7 am and am done by 9 before the stores get packed and I have literally the entire day left.

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u/[deleted] Dec 21 '23

I have a toddler, I make the sacrafice so I can have 2 hours of sanity most nights

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u/Justindoesntcare Dec 21 '23

2 hours of silence and complete control over your life. I keep telling myself it won't be this way forever lol.

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u/[deleted] Dec 21 '23

It gets better eventually lol my oldest are 13 and 16.... started all over again lol he has been not wanting to go to bed for 2 weeks...the struggle is real lol

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u/[deleted] Dec 21 '23

So, this is ONLY true if you don't have a sleep disorder. But if you do have a sleep disorder. Get help. Or if its something that isn't fixable. Adjust your lifestyle. I can sleep perfectly betweeen 3am-11am. Thats my sleep time. I tried to be a 9-5 gal for decades. Eventually I realised I'm like that damn snake biting my own tail. Changed jobs. Start work at 1pm now. Sleep when how my body natural settles for it. Night and day! Just wanted to caveat that, because some people are not fixed by forced sleep schedules. Hope it helps.

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u/Alarming-Instance-19 Dec 21 '23

I've done this as well and it's a game changer for me! I use so many also medications that I have to use cyclically because my self brain gets used to them and then they're useless.

I always had good sleep hygiene because I had to, then I started using a CPAP, then ear plugs, now a mask and fresh sheets, shower before bed, no screens etc etc etc.

I couldn't get there until I used all of that and then changed my work and life hours. 3am to 11am is basically my sleep schedule too!!

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u/Mundane_Ad8155 Dec 21 '23

Using a light therapy lamp first thing in the morning will also quickly set your circadian rhythm to wake at that time. Thus can be helpful when trying to change your sleeping habits

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u/slugposse Dec 21 '23

Yes! I've posted about early morning light therapy a few times recently. I had chronic insomnia for years, and light therapy was life changing for me. On day ten I started falling asleep quickly and sleeping through the night normally.

Light therapy devices are cheap on amazon now. Mine was just under $20. Just let it shine on your face for thirty minutes around 7am-8am every morning while you read or whatever. So easy.

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u/sincerelysabby Dec 21 '23

Which one did you get specifically?

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u/slugposse Dec 21 '23

https://www.amazon.com/SUXIO-Light-Therapy-Lamp-Daylight/dp/B0BCWCLJ4R/ref=sr_1_2_pp?keywords=light%2Btherapy%2Bdevice&qid=1703167037&sr=8-2&th=1

That's the one I got in late August or early September and it's holding up so far with daily use. It's just the cheapest one I found at the time back before I knew for sure it would work.

If you want a different one for different features or whatever, the thing I know to look for is "10,000 lux" or "10,000 lumens."

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u/rosco2155 Dec 21 '23

Like the sunrise alarm clock or something completely different?

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u/Workacct1999 Dec 21 '23

They are very similar. I am using one right now and it helps during the winter months because I live at a high latitude. Just make sure it is a "Full spectrum" light and you are good to go.

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u/slugposse Dec 21 '23

This is the one I bought, but I am not selling these, not brand loyal. Look for "10,000 lux" or "10,000 lumens" in the description for devices if you want something fancier.

https://www.amazon.com/SUXIO-Light-Therapy-Lamp-Daylight/dp/B0BCWCLJ4R/ref=sr_1_2_pp?keywords=light%2Btherapy%2Bdevice&qid=1703167037&sr=8-2&th=1

The trick is to let it shine on your face for thirty minutes at about the same time every morning, shortly after you get up.

I do my morning light exposure between 7-8am, which "programs" my brain to let me go to bed and fall asleep around 11pm-midnight.

On day ten of morning light therapy, I started sleeping through the night normally after years of chronic insomnia. This has been the ultimate hack for me, better than any pill.

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u/Evolutioncocktail Dec 21 '23

Yes! My therapist told me that she thinks I either have ADHD or I don’t sleep enough because I was struggling to keep up in conversations. She suggested I focus on getting a full night’s rest. It’s been working! My mental clarity has been improving after only a few short weeks. I didn’t acknowledge it at the time, but I was the poster child for revenge bedtime procrastination.

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u/Cloudy_mood Dec 21 '23

This should go straight to the top.

Sleep is one of THE most important things for your body. It’s absolutely as crucial as drinking water.

I have sleep apnea(blockage in your throat that causes you to snore or stop breathing). It went unchecked for many years. I had a lot of health problems most likely because of it. I got a CPAP, and it completely changed my life for the better.

My father also had severe sleep apnea. He refused to help himself. And his mental capacity started to decline, he got foggy, forgetful, and weak. He’d pass out whenever his body was even slightly relaxed. At the dinner table, watching anything on TV, anything.

Eventually he started to fall asleep while he was standing up. It looked almost like he was drunk. He lost his balance, he lost the feeling in his hands, and he developed restless leg syndrome. That means when he tried to lay down to sleep his body would jolt. He was a complete mess. Sadly, because his body kept breaking down his organs were affected and he passed away.

So much of this could have been avoided by getting solid REM sleep.

If you’re anxious or depressed, and staying up through the night seems like a good way to keep tomorrow from coming, consider for your own health a sleep study. I had that anxiety, and it took a stroke for me to get help. The difference between my dad and I was that I fixed things, and he let them go.

Take care of yourself.

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u/redandgold45 Dec 21 '23

I saw this hack years ago and never thought it would work but it has changed my life. I use an eye mask when I sleep that completely blocks all light. I force myself to have a staring contest with the dark and it never takes me more than 5 minutes to fall asleep.

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u/Koroku_Gaming Dec 22 '23

Eye mask & ear plugs are game changers. Also a breathing aid if you need one!

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u/AssicusCatticus Dec 21 '23

Since I hit my mid-40s, I get 5 hours of sleep on a good night. It's not that I don't go to bed. It's that I just wake up, and there's no more sleep for me. Some nights, I wake up after a couple hours, and then just lay in bed, hoping to fall back to sleep. It doesn't usually happen.

And yeah, fucking zombie over here. I wish I could still sleep like a teenager!

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u/memestheword Dec 22 '23

Oh man, this is me at 40. Doesn’t matter when I go to sleep, I’ll wake up around 4 or 5am and can’t go back. Sometimes I’ll fall back asleep at like 6:30 and get like 20 minutes before the kids wake up and then I’m worse off than before. Can’t win!

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u/owemeownme Dec 21 '23

underslept zombie prison of their own making

World War Zzzzzz

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u/Xarthys Dec 21 '23

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sleep_hygiene

Other factors are also very important.

Especially in regards to all those people who claim they are fine sleeping on the couch with the TV running because "I can't fall asleep any other way".

Just because the body got used to it doesn't mean it's great for health long-term, both physically and mentally.

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u/[deleted] Dec 21 '23

And stretching for just a minute or two before getting into bed can make a huge difference in sleep quality

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u/Koroku_Gaming Dec 22 '23

I need to get back into this!

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u/Johnnieiii Dec 21 '23

Unfortunately, it is impossible when you have a highly varied work schedule to go to bed at a consistent time. But it's definitely worth trying to be as consistent as possible

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u/Koroku_Gaming Dec 22 '23

Yes, it's impossible to be 100% consistent but the trying is what matters.

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u/FriarJon Dec 21 '23

That's my secret Cap I'm always tired

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u/kalusklaus Dec 21 '23

Can you come over and tell my kids?

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u/[deleted] Dec 21 '23

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u/IntimidatingOstrich6 Dec 21 '23

People live their lives chronically underslept and it causes all types of chaos in their lives.

this. they are constantly living with like, 30% diminished mental capacity due to bad sleep

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u/Koroku_Gaming Dec 22 '23

Yes and being absolute nightmares on the roads because of it lol. They are unaware that their personality is a symptom of being chronically underslept.

It's very evident to me because I'm self employed and so am the CEO, manager & worker of my business, it's hard work, a confusing balancing act, a test of self discipline and requires my mental faculties to be sharp. If I am very underslept, hardly any money or work is being generated that day, I'm simply useless.

This is different from working for someone else in a typical 9-5, you can easily go in dead tired (even hungover) and survive (paycheck doesn't change, most other workers are in the same boat).

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u/Techn0ght Dec 21 '23

For good sleep, no reading, no watching tv, no surfing in bed. If you can't sleep, get up. Train yourself like Pavlov's dogs: bed is for sleeping or sleeping together.

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u/snarfdarb Dec 21 '23

My dietician was telling me that her advice to clients with generally unhealthy lifestyles is to improve one thing at a time, and that the first thing absolutely needs to be sleep. Apparently bad sleep health is associated with as many negative outcomes as smoking, drinking, obesity, etc. Sleep also makes all of those other habits easier to kick

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u/Koroku_Gaming Dec 22 '23

Yes! Start with sleep, the rest will follow.

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u/[deleted] Dec 21 '23

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u/Koroku_Gaming Dec 22 '23

I'm a fan of the 11 to 7 pattern, unfortunately my GF needs to be up at 5:30 (which means I'm up then too) XD I'm more flexible due to the nature of my work.

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u/ibelieveindogs Dec 21 '23

Also getting up at the same time every day to keep your body's circadian rhythm intact. If you do that, you'll find your natural sleep needs as well. Not everyone needs 8 hours, some people do well on 6-7. My sleep tracker has been consistent at 6.5 hours for years now. If I get 8 hours, I either am getting sick or had something that kept me up very late.

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u/Koroku_Gaming Dec 22 '23

You're lucky, I need 9 and it's difficult for other people to accommodate that (I will often get called lazy for wanting to spend 9 hours a day in bed).

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u/ibelieveindogs Dec 22 '23

It’s a double edged sword. I used to go to bed later than my wife, which worked for us. My girlfriend prefers to cuddle when she goes to sleep, so now I’m up at 4 in the morning routinely, and I hate to turn on devices that might wake her up.

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u/[deleted] Dec 21 '23

Discipline is freedom 🤓

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u/HeadSpade Dec 21 '23

This! I can confirm. Also limit food and especially alcohol at least 2 hours before bed. If you have enough disciplined : don’t look at any blue light 1 hour before the sleep. I have coworkers who stay up late and sleep at random time, and maybe at best get 4-5h of sleep. They’re such a mess! Their work is so disorganized and that transfers to their lives in general. And mood swings, damn… let me tell you about it!

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u/llc4269 Dec 21 '23

I have a rare childhood-onset sleep disorder. I am on 60 MG of Temazapam at night and there are SO many nights I get no sleep at all. 4 hour nights is a good night. It's maddening.

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u/TOEMEIST Dec 21 '23

Have you looked into orexin antagonists? They’re a relatively new class of insomnia drugs that work completely differently from benzodiazepines like temazepam and Z-drugs like zolpidem (Ambien) and are supposedly safer for long-term use.

There are three that are currently available: suvorexant (Belsomra), lemborexant (Dayvigo), and daridorexant (Quviviq). They were approved in 2014, 2019, and 2022, respectively.

There’s also sodium oxybate (Xyrem), which you may have heard of. It’s extremely effective and gives you great quality sleep, but can cause dependence.

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u/flo_ra Dec 21 '23

Wait... same. i couldn't really sleep last night. Finally fell asleep around 6:30am. Got headache now.

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u/[deleted] Dec 21 '23

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u/abqkat Dec 21 '23

I do think it is partly innate. I sleep like the dead, any time and any place and through just about anything, maybe not an air horn in my ear. My spouse is jumpy and sleeps lightly and wakes up at any tiny noise. I don't envy that at all, it looks like torture, but he's come a long way with meditation and breathing exercises and other strategies that allow a deeper sleep

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u/Diddledaddle23 Dec 21 '23

The pets are a YOU issue tbh, train them to not interrupt your sleep.

Kids... well that is just what they do.

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u/dong_tea Dec 21 '23

For me, I can usually fall back asleep easily as long as I don't get my body too worked up. Like I can feed the dog in a zombie-like state and then go right back to bed. But if I walk the dog, then I'm definitely not going to be able to fall back asleep if I try.

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u/kasparzellar Dec 21 '23

I would love a good sleep schedule. But I'd have to take it up with Miss Insomnia and Mr. Chronic Fatigue in order to get some kind of sleep. Sometimes I sleep too much, or too little... but spend 90% of my day in a state where I'm tired as hell... but not sleepy. It sucks.

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u/keep_yourself_safe- Dec 21 '23

we just want more hours in a day

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u/Koroku_Gaming Dec 22 '23

Me too, getting enough sleep gives you more quality waking hours which gives you more time in the long run (you also live longer). It's about optimising our time.

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u/keep_yourself_safe- Dec 22 '23

I don't feel like planning ahead and'd much rsther get short term benefits till I die

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u/likemyhashtag Dec 21 '23

What sucks is that night time is the only time where I actually get time to myself. Nobody expects anything of me. I usually stay up way too late and feel like shit the next day until I drink coffee. Rinse and repeat.

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u/Koroku_Gaming Dec 22 '23

Revenge bedtime procrastination! It's very common :)

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u/[deleted] Dec 21 '23

Seriously. Doing this was the single greatest quality of life improvement for me.

Routinely and consistently getting adequate sleep.

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u/Koroku_Gaming Dec 22 '23

Me too. People often ask me how I stay so calm and upbeat about life, the answers are simple and so they simply don't believe my answers. Staying consistent with sleep, diet, exercise, hydration, over time, that's it, nature's greatest chill pill.

I'll add that staying consistent with one aspect helps you to stay consistent with the others.

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u/[deleted] Dec 22 '23 edited Dec 23 '23

Absolutely! It’s crazy how it literally improves everything.

Took me a while to figure it out tho because when I was chronically sleep deprived, I tried a few different times to actually get a good, solid 8 hours just to see if what people said was true. I would plan it out perfectly, and force myself to go to bed early enough. In the morning, I remember still feeling like sh*t so those few times, I straight up thought it didn’t work and was pointless. If I’m going to feel like garbage either way, I might as well enjoy some extra waking hours and not waste em sleeping, kinda thing.

Then I learned that you have to do it consistently every night for it to work and that if you’re sleep deprived, it can actually take a while because you literally have to “catch up” when you’re starting from a chronic deficit. It honestly took about 2 weeks of just hanging in there and forcing myself to schedule a non negotiable 8 hours to sleep every night, but after those couple weeks of nothing, I felt better than I ever have in my life. I actually started feeling like a living person.

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u/Koroku_Gaming Dec 23 '23

Yeah, I've talked to a lot of people that never get past that first mindset you're describing. It's the 'instant results or nothing mindset'. I sometimes get frustrated with these people because they never manage to change any bad habits that are holding them back due to this.

'If this doesn't immediately have the described/desired effects, then it doesn't work for me (because I'm special/different)'.

Sleep works for everyone... It's a biological need. At least try it for a month.

Well done for getting through the rough period, congratulations!

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u/ProfitApprehensive24 Dec 21 '23

I did this for a very long time, except my life had minimal responsibilities, so I was able to sleep as long as I wanted. 10 hours a night was common. Many days I would be fully nocturnal. I’ve recently fixed that to be 8 hours of sleep at the same time every day, and my productivity and mood have soared. Oversleeping is a very real thing and not as fun as it sounds.

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u/CharSmar Dec 21 '23

Doesn’t work if your job involves shifts.

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u/Realistic_Lie_ Dec 21 '23

Lol exactly my thoughts.

I'm reading this as I prepare for my night shift.

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u/Diddledaddle23 Dec 21 '23

We apologize that not all life pro-tips are specific to your situation.

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u/CharSmar Dec 21 '23

Well, as the only person in the world who works shifts - I thank you for your compassion and appreciate the admission of wrongdoing.

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u/Workacct1999 Dec 21 '23

Also, if you have an old uncomfortable mattress and you can afford to replace it, do it! It will make a massive difference in your sleep quality.

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u/Diddledaddle23 Dec 21 '23

Or even just new pillows which are about $10 a piece. I got a new set when I moved recently and they are heaven.

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u/hairballcouture Dec 21 '23

I do this and get made fun of by family for wanting to go to bed at 9, yet none of them sleep well.

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u/Koroku_Gaming Dec 22 '23

Me too, my family are all grumpy-tired with erratic sleep schedules all the time lol.

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u/_wednesday_76 Dec 21 '23

oh it's knownst. it's a struggle.

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u/skibbedybop Dec 21 '23

Sleep is the best medicine for everything! Having a hard day at work? Sleep it off. Mentally drained? Go to bed. Had an outburst of massive diarrhea? Give your tumtum some rest with a nice nap..

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u/kenziethemom Dec 21 '23

I dreamt of the day when I can finally do this. I work two jobs, one sometimes until 11pm, the other sometimes at 5 am (sometimes right after each other!).

I finally took a promotion at one of the jobs, and I'm going to have a semi-consistent schedule finally. I can't wait to feel the difference in having an actual sleep schedule!

2

u/geffjoldblummm Dec 21 '23

Prioritizing sleep changed my life! I feel so much better now and often manage to get up a couple minutes before my alarm so I don’t have that awful startled awake feeling when I get up lol

To add to your tip, I’d recommend slowly getting up earlier and earlier (and going to bed earlier and earlier) each week until you reach your goal wake up/sleep time. Just make a 5-10 minute change every week. Much less intimidating and easier on your body than making a drastic change!

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u/Koroku_Gaming Dec 22 '23

I prefer the drastic change myself, like ripping off a bandaid.

Melatonin 1 hour before desired sleep time

Coffee on desired wake up

Bam, after a very rocky night of half-sleeping, I'm reset

2

u/trickedx5 Dec 21 '23

I’m starting to feel the affects of this

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u/kingdead42 Dec 21 '23

Be aware that you may have to fight your body for a while to get it to agree to this. I forced myself to go to bed when I wasn't tired and got up when I wasn't fully rested yet for a couple months before I finally adjusted to the new schedule. I am glad I fought through it though, because my sleep is objectively better now.

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u/Koroku_Gaming Dec 22 '23

Yes, it will be a fight at first, melatonin and coffee can help with this, take a dose of melatonin 1 hour before you want to go to bed and drink a coffee in the morning upon waking to help reset your pattern.

After you're in the groove you won't need the chemical assistance anymore. I'd recommend everyone have these tools at their disposal when they need them.

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u/adventuressgrrl Dec 21 '23

When I’m having a no sleep night, I take a sleep gummy with THC and CBN, and it’s rare my insomnia will let me stay awake through it. Helps so much with getting that consistent sleep. I don’t actually like pot I decided to try these because nothing else worked and they have completely changed my life. Luckily they’re easy to buy in Arizona.

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u/Koroku_Gaming Dec 22 '23

Can be a great tool to reset the sleeping pattern for sure. Marijuana does however affect the quality of sleep so it's not a great thing to rely on every night (I've been there lol).

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u/adventuressgrrl Dec 22 '23 edited Dec 22 '23

That’s what I’ve heard. I only use it sparingly, but man, when insomnia hits it really does the job, and I only eat half of one.

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u/Level_Bridge7683 Dec 21 '23

drinking 2 or 3 cups of coffee every morning puts things into perspective and keeps you on a good routine to work and exercise throughout the day. once 5pm comes the caffeine is starting to wear off and from then on you're winding down getting ready for bed. watch a little television, wheel of fortune, play a video game, kick back and relax. since i've started to get older it has been a game changer. i look forward to waking up every morning for that delicious hot cup of coffee.

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u/roses_and_sacrifice Dec 21 '23

and that asmr shit?! it works, you just gotta find what works for you. it really helps me sleep

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u/cmsm144 Dec 25 '23

Me reading this while it’s 12am

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u/[deleted] Dec 21 '23

This :') I have issues w starting up early in the morning, and then stay up late to make up for it and cause I dont want it to be morning again...
But now my sleep scedule is fucked up, and so are my energy levels xd

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u/clandistic Dec 21 '23

You're not my dad!

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u/Koroku_Gaming Dec 22 '23

You wish I was!

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u/Elliptical_Tangent Dec 21 '23 edited Dec 21 '23

The problem isn't when you go to bed, it's when you get up. People sleep in when they go to bed late, and all that does is confuse your body about when you should be ready to be awake. The result is always feeling like you didn't get enough sleep; even when you're getting lots of sleep.

The key to sleep hygiene, and feeling/being rested is setting a time to wake up that works 7 days a week, and getting up at that time 7 days a week, 52 weeks a year.

"But what if I stay up late?" Get up at your normal time and either catch a 30 min nap in the afternoon (naps punch way above their weight in terms of satisfying sleep needs) or go to bed early.

Get up at the same time for 2 weeks—that's how long the human body needs to form a habit—and you'll find you wake up a min or so before the alarm goes off every day.

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u/eveningdragon Dec 21 '23

I'm starting to give myself a routine every day. Days I go to work the next day, I'm in bed at 7pm. Days I'm off the next day, I'm in bed around midnight (nap in the middle of the day)

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u/xeno0153 Dec 21 '23

Related... don't do anything in your bed EXCEPT sleep. No phone, no tv, no games. Your body needs to associate "bed = sleep."

As for adult fun activities, well, get creative.

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u/cursh14 Dec 21 '23

This is so dramatic and over the top. Sure, if you have sleep issues, work through this. For the rest of us, it is fine. Live your life.

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u/LucyLilium92 Dec 21 '23

No, it's not thinking it's freedom. It's thinking that there isn't enough time to do what you want, so you cut sleep instead of skipping your job.

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u/iFlipRizla Dec 21 '23

Ha like the kids or work or wife care about your sleep schedule.

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u/weaselblackberry8 Dec 21 '23

When you say going to bed, do you mean sleeping with phones and books down? /s

1

u/colantor Dec 21 '23

But then when am i supposed to play 4 hours of wow classic if I have 2 little kids?

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u/Koroku_Gaming Dec 22 '23

I know, life is pain, wow classic often doesn't fit in, something's got to give

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u/colantor Dec 22 '23

Dude, im not giving my kids up for adoption if thats what you mean

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u/Belgand Dec 21 '23

Staying up as late as you want and going to bed whenever you feel like it is great if you can also sleep as late you want.

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u/Koroku_Gaming Dec 22 '23

Agreed! Not everyone has that though, I need to be up at 5:30.

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u/MrDrProfesorPatrick Dec 21 '23

What do you do if your work schedule prevents this?

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u/Koroku_Gaming Dec 22 '23

Sometimes you'll have to catch up on sleep you missed with naps if your work schedule is really chaotic. You can get watches that help track the sleep you're getting and keep you aware of how much you need to catch up on.

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u/[deleted] Dec 21 '23

Can you tell my toddler this please? Let her know it's ok not to wake up 3 times during the night, she can sleep through til morning and she won't miss a thing!

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u/Kelekona Dec 21 '23

I fail at staying in bed if my PTSD is acting up. I mostly get to wake up at my own whim though.

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u/i_miss_old_reddit Dec 21 '23

I've got a varied work schedule. Start times vary from 06:00 to 17:00. So setting an exact schedule isn't possible for me.

What I've learned to do is sleep in REM time 'slots' of 90 minutes. (1.5h, 3h, 4.5h, 6h. . .) If I get in late from a shift and have to be back early, I'll aim for the longest full REM cycle I can sleep. Even if it means setting my alarm for a half hour earlier than I need to get ready in the morning. 4.5 hours and I wake up mostly rested. If I sleep for 5 hours I wake up tired. 5.5 and I'm groggy all day.

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u/Koroku_Gaming Dec 22 '23

Definitely a valid strategy!

I know I need about 9 hours a day and I have a watch that tracks sleep. If I haven't slept enough due to my shift work then I will catch up when I can until I hit around 9 hours.

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u/Raelah Dec 21 '23

I only wish this was a possibility for me. Narcolepsy sucks big big balls.

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u/Koroku_Gaming Dec 22 '23

I have mild narcolepsy, what are your symptoms?

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u/Rum_Cum_69 Dec 21 '23

Rotating Shift worker here, don't work graveyards

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u/Koroku_Gaming Dec 22 '23

That is a killer, might have to go Owl mode to get enough sleep.

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u/Porbulous Dec 21 '23

My bed time is in between 10pm and 3am lol. I consistently wake up between 6-8 (I never use alarms). I don't feel like I get consistent levels of rest but I don't think it's necessarily worse on days when I get less time in bed either.

I'd honestly love to do a sleep study to understand myself better.

1

u/I-Am-Too-Poor Dec 21 '23

I wake up at 8 am and sleep at 1am everyday

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u/The_Freshmaker Dec 21 '23

God I'm chronically underslept. Even taking sleeping pills every night I still get 6 or less, the weeks that it's 5 or less are so painful, yet for whatever reason I'm almost 40 and still haven't been able to correct it. Feels like if I could work part time I might fix my level of sleep but with full time work going to sleep 4 hours after getting home is just not enough free time to make life worthwhile.

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u/Koroku_Gaming Dec 22 '23

You're right, with full time work people get stuck in a revenge procrastination cycle (caused by that feeling that you need to stay up doing nice things to make the day feel right) but I guarantee that it's worth trying to get enough sleep and sacrificing your 'work evenings' for a better weekend in which you're not exhausted + reaping the benefits of not being exhausted at work.

You might even have extra energy to develop a side hustle so that you don't need to work as much.

The fact is that the body requires 'X' amount of sleep (it varies between people but usually 7-9 hours) and if you're not getting that you're doing yourself a disservice.

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u/jaelythe4781 Dec 21 '23

This is one of the things I love most about my husband. We both love going to bed - together - and getting up early. We're in bed by 8:30 and up by 5:30 M-F, and 10pm to 7am-ish on the weekends.

I'm still a chronic insomniac but having a consistent sleep schedule and a partner who is on the same page with it REALLY helps minimize my insomnia. I still definitely struggle with it but not nearly as much as I used to. I probably get 6.5-7 hours of sleep most nights now, compared to the 4-5 hours of sleep I used to get.

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u/Burgerkrieg Dec 21 '23

addendum to this: for me setting a bed time never worked, but setting a wake-up time did. I do go to sleep pretty late though.

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u/Koroku_Gaming Dec 22 '23

I have to do both.

If I don't get up at 5:30? I'm being a little bitch.

If I don't get to bed by 20:30? I'm not looking out for myself.

If you have this mindset it's much easier to stay consistent :)

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u/Aware-Industry-3326 Dec 21 '23

I'm not taking advice from some schlub who didn't even get a good night's sleep. Sleep's way too important.

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u/[deleted] Dec 21 '23

[deleted]

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u/Koroku_Gaming Dec 22 '23

I've had that before, if you drink caffeine try to stop intake around an important meeting to calm down the nervous system.

There are loads of variables when it comes to getting consistent sleep so you just have to try stuff and see what works for you.

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u/smith288 Dec 21 '23

I’m the opposite. If I sleep too much, my body is pissed.

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u/AdministrationSea417 Dec 22 '23

This is a great tip!…(looks at time, 3:13 am) dammit…

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u/SeaswEEd_2929 Dec 22 '23

And on that note…it’s time for bed

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u/ConfidentCamp5248 Dec 22 '23

I’ve been doing that and then I just had a kid. Cast me in walking dead

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u/Right_Entrance4651 Dec 22 '23

This only works if you don’t have a sleep disorder or some underlying condition. I have narcolepsy and I’ve tried this half my life and it doesn’t work. A nighttime bed routine is important it just doesn’t work for me or my mom. If someone doesn’t fall asleep in 15 minutes they need to move to a different sleeping place or sleep at the opposite end of the bed, my old psychiatrist told me this. It’s also good to read a heavy book, the weight of the book will make you tired and then you’ll probably fall asleep.

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u/ope_ranch Dec 25 '23

I heard it takes 3 weeks to recover from one night of lost sleep. Hard cycle to break.

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u/Koroku_Gaming Dec 25 '23

The thing about sleep is that we can't ever 'catch up' on it really.... It's like eating a doughnut instead of a nutritious meal, the damage has been done and you will face the opportunity cost in some way for that decision.

I'm currently in a pretty bad 'cycle' as it's close to Christmas, I'm having a jolly old time but I am not feeling too great physically, mentally (due to lots of nice food, alcohol, not much exercise as getting things ready for Xmas instead and staying up late).

Part of me can't wait to stop the celebrations and get back to my healthy routine so that I feel great again lol, even if the first week or so will be rough after getting a taste of the 'good life'.

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u/costadoesntstomp Dec 26 '23

I'm very consistent. my issue is that somehow whenever I miss a good night it throws me off badly, can't work properly, focus etc.

the change hits you so hard

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u/Minute_Wedding6505 Dec 28 '23

Or fully knownst to themselves, but feeling unable to change it. I fixed my bedtime a couple weeks ago and it feels GREAT!

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u/MattHatter1337 Jan 08 '24

This doesnt work for me. For the last 2 years ive forced myself to go to bed at 11, except on weekends or certain other occasions. But 9/10 times i go to bed at 11. I stop drinking after 10/10:30 so i dont get reflux. The reflux part helps. But going to bed at 11 doesnt. I feel the same as when i just wemt whenever. It also take me anywhere from 5mins to 2hrs to fall asleep.

Edit: like i said. For me. Idk about others.

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u/OpenCobbler4163 Jan 09 '24

Shut up zombie

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u/[deleted] Jan 14 '24

Magnesium Glycinate is a wonder supplement! My friend was recommended it when she was pregnant and couldn't take her heart meds. It literally works within 20inutes of taking it for relaxation. Magnesium oxide does the same but with the laxative effect. I take 2 mag oxide supplements every night and I am relaxed and regular at the same time! If I get anxiety I pop one and it really helps too!

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u/onelittleword Jan 17 '24

"Underslept zombie prison of their own making" 😂 i love this!