it's usually around that time where i determine it just ain't worth getting out of bed to go to class. and you can usually replace 9:16 with - i don't know - let's say...... 12:30. class just wasn't my "thing"...
I have the answer! I have NEVER been a morning person, and have always had a hard time waking up. I've tried a lot of things (the 'move-the-clock-across-the-room-trick' didn't work for me - I would turn it off, go back to bed, and be grumpy all day) and I have found the solution, but it doesn't come without sacrifice. Step 1) First of all, there is one major factor that causes the morning blahs: caffeine. I recommend completely eliminating caffeine from your diet. While you sleep, your body spends 8 hours without it and you wake up with withdrawal symptoms. If you won't quit entirely, at least refrain from consuming caffeine in the afternoon and evening. Step 2) Your body wants a certain amount of sleep. For some, it wants 10 hours. Other bodies only want 4. Mine wants 8. So I know that if I want to wake up with relative ease and happiness at 7:00, I must go to SLEEP (not bed - sleep) no later than 11:00 pm. Learn how much your body wants and plan your sleeping time appropriately (this is much easier to do when you aren't wired on caffeine). Step 3) Even with the two changes above I was miserable in the mornings and found it difficult to get out of bed. You must buy this alarm clock. Sometimes you can get it on sale for $50. It has a battery backup, brightness dimmer, wake to CD, and a digital tuner. I did a LOT of research on alarm clocks, and ended up asking for this one for Christmas. I've been very, very happy with it. Step 4) This is gonna sound weird to many people here. I created my own music CD. Track one was a recording of my voice saying "thirty minutes till wake up" and after that, the track has 15 minutes of silence. Then track two is a recording of my voice saying, "15 minutes till wake up" and after that, the track has 5 minutes of silence. Next track, "10 minutes till wake up" and 5 minutes of silence. Next track, "5 minutes till wake up" and 4 minutes of silence. Next track, "1 minute till wake up" and 1 minute of silence. ... then it goes to the next track which is a wakeup song of my choice. I chose a cheesy new age song called Celestial Soda Pop by Ray Lynch. It starts off slow and gentle and slowly gets louder and louder without ever being obnoxious. Step 5) Set the alarm. I set the alarm to wake to CD starting with track 1, and, if I want to hear the music at 7 am, then I set the alarm to go off at 6:30 am. Then, at 6:30, the alarm starts the CD, and for the next 30 minutes, I occasionally hear my voice telling me it's almost time to wake up. While I sleep, I hear this voice and I sort-of unconsciously prep myself to slowly start waking up. When 7 comes around, my body is ready to get up. After making the above changes, I have successfully beaten the morning blahs. I wake up easier, happier, and on time. And I can easily control my schedule - If I want to start waking up at 6 am, I just change my alarm, go to sleep at ten, and I wake up at 6 happily.
i'm really bad too. if i REALLY have to get up for something, say a mtg, i will and can. but other days and esp now that we have flex time....it is anybody's guess. i set my alarm for 6:10 this morning but don't remember it going off. i wake up at 6:54 and stay in bed til 7:09. flex time...so nice. i ended up getting 8 hrs of sleep last night (rare) but still feel groggy. i've never been any good but maybe after having kids, i'll be better. that's not for several yrs though. basically...i have no advice for you.
damn. Nice post droxford. Another thing is to cut out carbs before bedtime, its hard to fall asleep when you are full of carbs and sugars, also your quality of sleep will improve and you'll wake up in a more rested state. Also the point you made about caffeine is a good one, i've recently eliminated all caffeine out of my diet. It was tough. But, now i'm better for it.
There is a damn bird that wakes me up every morning chriping. Last night I even heard it when I was trying to go to sleep. I'll be stopping off at Academy on the way home to purchase a high powered pellet rifle.
Ever since i as in boarding school, and would wake up to a loud ringing bell, I would always greet the morning with "Fuuuuuuuuuu**!" or "Shiiiiiii*!".
I am looking for a new alarm clock (mine is over 10 years old ). If it could get Sirius satellite radio, I wouldn't be typing this right now...I'd be at Best Buy buying it.
I hate the sound of the alarm clock SOOOO MUCH.. when it goes off at 5 I get out of bed right away and turn on the TV and watch Mike and Mike for about 2 mins and then jump in the shower, I never have had much problem getting out of bed..
I don't know if what droxford said is true, but I gave up caffeinated drinks a few years ago and although those first couple of days were murder, I noticed it was easier for me to wake up and stay awake.
Cutting down on caffine made a big difference for me too. I have not eliminated it completely, but I do not drink caffine after 5pm. I had even thought about not eating carbs before bed. Last night I ate some peaches before bed and I had trouble sleeping. I did not put 2 and 2 together though.
I've been snoozing later and later every day for the last few months. This week, I tried the "alarm clock on the other side of the room" trick and it works like a charm. I also try and not eat anything after 7pm, which is a pretty good rule anyway. I'm the kind of person that has trouble physically getting out of bed. Once I'm actually out of bed, the rest of the day is easy.
I agree with the caffeine thing. I didn't drink caffeine for 3 years, and during that time I found it much easier to sleep/be awake/juggle chainsaws. Since I've started drinking caffeine (and quite heavily), I have lost my ability to juggle chainsaws, as well as 3 digits on my left hand. I think that's mostly because I don't sleep well when I'm drinking caffeine. So let that be a lesson to you. Don't drink caffeine.
Oh! Now get this.... My neighbors have a birdhouse right outside my bedroom window. It leans almost completely over the fence. Every morning at sunrise, I would hear them... "cheep cheep cheep cheep" AaAAGGHH!!!! Finally, 10 months ago at halloween, my wife bought a plastic halloween owl. I am fortunate enough to have one of those old-fashioned backyard antenna in my back yard. I used some wire to attach the plastic owl to the antenna so that it is perched just above the birdhouse. The birds left and haven't come back! Now if only it worked for German Shepherds.... I couldn't find a single alarm clock that would play MP3s. It'll probably be quite a while before you'll find one that plays digital radio. I can't friggin' stand a standard alarm that goes from perfectly quiet to loud, annoying buzz instantly. That's why I recommend the clock above - it can wake to CD. It also has TV band, so you can hear audio from a local TV station!
Get an extra alarm clock, blare the radio up high, and keep them far away as possible from your bed so you will have to get up and turn it off.
Great way to wake up with a miserable, grumpy headache. No thanks. The brute-force approach doesn't work for me.
I use my alarm on my cell phone, monday - friday at 6:00 and the weekends are whatever. Also, my cell has a snooze so that gets hit a few times.
I haven't been able to do it, but... http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2005/05/how-to-become-an-early-riser/
During college last fall, when I had 8 'o clock classes (yea I know, freshman mistake)...I would have the alarm set to 7. Then hit the snooze until about 7:45. I also had my cell phone alarm going off. During the summer I usually just wake up naturally. Like today, at 2pm I just kinda woke up.
Drink a lot of water at night right before you go to bed. You have to make the amount of water exact to your need so you will wait up at the right time. Urge to pee will get you up for sure, if you drank the right amount you should get up at the exact right moment. Try it.
