AIBU to ask how I can have better sleep hygiene and be more of a morning person?

[Hasselbacks]

On weekdays, I’m up early-ish for work (start work at 8:30) but always find it hard to wake up .

On weekends, I always sleep in, and often sleep longer than I should. I’m sure I oversleep, and then end up feeling sluggish and a bit rubbish.

I think this is probably down to me not going to bed at a consistent time every night (I normally drift off after midnight ), mostly because I’m ‘procrastinating’/surfing the Internet on my phone, and also because I don’t think I’ve really set up my room to be a restful place for sleep (I rent, and have a really small room that has room for my bed, a tiny wardrobe and a bookshelf).

I’d be interested to find out, if you also have/had a small room, how do you keep it tidy and keep it a nice pleasant place to sleep in?

I think, if I break it down, I probably find it hard to get to sleep because:

• I go to sleep too late and at an irregular time (leading to waking up very late on weekends)
• I use my phone way too much before going to sleep (I need to look into this)
• I haven’t really set up my room as a pleasant, chilled place that makes me want to sleep there

Would be interested in any advice or tips you have, please!

This may not be a solution for you, OP, but I have HATED getting up for over 40 years. That finally changed last year when I did the Blood Sugar Diet and carried on eating low carb. Carbs do make me tired, but carb comas don't actually refresh me. It was a revelation to be able to just wake up and get up and do stuff straight away.

All the other stuff helps with getting to sleep better, but the low carb is the only thing that has helped me wake up better.

Leave your phone in the lounge.
Buy an alarm clock.
Have a bath at 8pm, bed at 9pm, read a book, sleep at 10pm, up at 7am.

Try it for a week!

For me, nice sheets with a fluffy duvet and soft lighting make a bedroom seem cosy and comforting. A lot of the time I get into my pyjamas and into bed at 9pm because I love being there so much. And tidying up/making the bed in the morning so that you look forward to going in there later rather than dreading it!

A good mattress is key to good sleep I think too.
I think sticking to a similar routine most nights helps too- so weekdays or weekends, if I'm in that evening (mostly am as we have a young toddler), we do lights out at 10pm as we both get up at 6 for work.

Bin off the phone past a certain time.

I think you have identified the problems really well in your OP. I always find a good breakfast as soon as I wake up really helps too

Get a lumieclock! One with the sunset and sunrise function.

This Works Pillow Spray and Sleep Products really do work.

No phone or caffeine after 8pm. In fact no caffeine past lunch helps me.

If your mind tends to race, do a “thought dump” (making lists, getting worries and concerns out on paper) before going up to bed.

A banana before bed and chamomile tea work too.

Tidy and declutter your room. Change sheets regularly. Make your bed every day. Decorate your bed with nice throws and pillows. Shower of bath before bed. No screens at bedtime. Read a book. Nice pyjamas. Pillow spray. Practise relaxing breathing. Keep your room aired. No caffeine after 3pm.

I have exactly the same problem. Am addicted to my phone at night - and I do think addicted isn’t an exaggeration.

Maybe we can start a new regime together OP and be bedtime buddies

Also bridget that is VERY interesting about the blood sugar diet. I have a raving sweet tooth and need to lose weight, so I’ll check it out.

Plus less caffeine, no snooze button and a bed 'routine' and you have it.

**GloatyMcGloatface
Yes this!

For a while I locked my phone in a drawer 2 hours before bed every night to allow my brain to get quiet (the light from screens isn’t helpful either). Did work but I’ve got lazy about it.

High threadcount cotton sheets, feather duvet and pillows and yoga nidra in bed are all good too.

100% agree with low carb (not no carb, just reduce carbs and don’t eat heavy carbs meals).

Reduce alcohol.

Clean bedsheets and keep space around the bed clear.

I switch off screens minimum one hour before bed, have a bath or shower, then read in bed or listen to music.

I also accept that I genuinely do need 8-10 hours a night of sleep.

I sleep somuch better when I've not been mindlessly scrolling through social.media before bed, but the trick is to make it routine, not just once in a while. Also, try and go to bed at the same time and get up at the same time or at least similar on the weekend

Also cold bedroom.

As PP's have mentioned, a Lumie clock helps wake ups hugely. I bought the DCs one, too, and they're actually vaguely civilised in the mornings now instead of total cavemen.

Don't know whether or not you (and others on this thread) are drinkers, but there's a dry Jan thread running at the moment in the 90 days section.

Most people on that thread were sleeping really badly their first few nights without booze, but are all sleeping much better now. [I know this because I'm on the thread, btw].

Apologies if none of you are drinkers.

And I have no carbs after 5pm, no sugar or caffeine after 2pm and always sleep with an open window, even in winter.

What worked for me, was getting rid of the TV from the bedroom, leaving my phone in the hallway from 9pm on charge. I get into bed at 9pm, write my list of things to do the next day, get up around 5.30am. I like to be in work early so I can leave bang on the bell!

Nothing has helped my sleep like not having my phone in my bedroom. It’s been revolutionary!

I get up just after every morning and this is the schedule that really works for me:

5.55 alarm goes off
6.00 radio 4 come on and husband makes coffee from the coffee machine on his bedside table
6.00-6.15 we drink coffee in bed, listen to the news and chat
6.15 I get up and shower

Having the same routine every morning helps me so much. I also go to bed at about the same time every night (between 10 and 11). I think getting enough sleep full stop is crucial to feeling good about waking up.

*should say I get up just after 6 every morning

A sunrise alarm clock changed my life

What time do you want to wake up?
8 hours before that, switch your light off.
Half an hour before that, get into a reasonably clean bed which neither too cold nor too warm. If there's noise, wear ear plugs.

Switch off all screens two hours before your intended sleep time.

Obviously, lay off caffeine and alcohol.

Stick with it for a fortnight.

Go to bed much earlier. I get up at 6am for work and aim to go to bed at around 9pm. This might take some practice. No phone usage. No telly in bedroom, but I do like the radio on. Cut down on alcohol - you will sleep better. How much extra do you sleep in at weekends? I tend to wake up at the same time around 6am now and only occasionally sleep in maybe an extra hour till 7am or 7.30am.