h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Background: i'm living in north, so we have here quite radical seasonal changes in amount of daylight per day (during the summer it is bright throughout the day but in autumn/winter the bright period is just couple of hours per day).
And the problem:
When the autumn (and darkness) comes, i start to have terrible troubles every morning to get out of bed. I think it's because the darkness when i should get up and go to work. I just press the snooze button and continue to sleep another ten minutes, and another ten minutes... and that is not a good thing to do when i have some meeting at eight o'clock am.
So how could i change myself to an early riser?

I set the alarm to go off half an hour, to an hour before I actually have to drag myself out of bed so I can wake up slowly.

Or, I leave myself 5 minutes before I have to get out the door or I will be too late. Then when I wake I have to get up, and get out the door, and the adrenaline rush makes you wake up instantly.

still no substitute for a warm bed. especially when it is so cold out of the covers... !

Buy a real loud alarm clock and put it at the other side of the room. this what i had to do.. It makes you get up and walk across the room to turn the damm thing off.. once you on your feet that half the battle won....

GOOD LUCK

This is a tough one, i am afraid that there is not easy solution. Have you considered moving south, Hawaii is nice in the winter

You have to learn to rely on yourself rather than on external influences like clocks. If you don't want to get up, no amount of loud alarms will make you. Say to yourself when you go to bed, I'm getting up at 6:40 tomorrow (or whatever it is). When you hear the alarm clock, say to yourself, I will be out of this bed before I count to five. Start counting. Make it a point of honour that you never reach five. You can do it!

ok i have 2 methods.

Method 1: - right if your getting up at 6 am.
just say 6 o'clock to your self in your head 6 times.
Then go right to sleep and keep your mind blank. this "programs your brain" to wake up.

Method 2: Pretty much like method 1 apart from you hit your head against the pillow each time as you say 6 o'clock.

i find it works. yep, pretty damn odd.

Just a possibility: http://www.nmha.org/infoctr/factsheets/27.cfm


But of course, the request is three years old, so if might be a little late for an answer.

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I tried this a few times a long time ago, I found invariably when I woke up late, the alarm clock had inexplicably turned itself off...

(even when I put it at the other side of the room on top of the wardrobe)

...I am currently experimenting with getting up several hours before I have to (for some reason though I am still always late)...

Plenty of exercise, a balanced diet, a fixed sleep routine (same time to bed, same time up) and cut out the caffeine. Sure a cup of strong coffee will give you a quick kick, but once it wears off you just come crashing down again.

You know maybe I should take my own advice

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are you sure





all of them

Yeah that's my problem too.

I suspect that Topias' problem is something that isn't going to be corrected without something a little extra. Clearly, it is a seasonal problem, as is stated in both the initial post and the subject line. Topias wasn't having a problem being an early riser except when the days were short. This is a fairly common problem in northern areas and some good results are being acheived with light therapy.

Technical / psychological solution:

Lots of people have problems with their sleeping patterns in Northern areas because they're not getting enough sunlight, which disrupts their circadian rhythms. So, if you can afford it, you could get one of those natural sunlight lamps (search on shopping.com or shopzilla.com). They simulate, oddly enough, natural sunlight, and are used to treat some forms of seasonal affective disorder (winter depression) as well as extreme jet-lag. I dont think they're expensive either, cos a mate of mine bought one and he's pretty broke most of the time. Good investment if winter mornings really wreck your head.

get a plug in timer to turn a bright light on in the morning

manda