Sleep hacking

[prog]

I hadn't complained about sleeping problems (rather, waking-up problems) for a while because I was into a pretty good groove, but I popped out of it again with Daylight Savings. I don't think the hour-shift is directly responsible, but I wouldn't be surprised if it's a generally seasonal thing. (Some weird kind of inverse SAD where my body is content to happily sleeeeeep through the lovely sunny weather.)

So, another round of trying some new fixes. I have a couple of ideas and I think they may work.

First of all, no more video games after "a certain hour" for me. I find the more absorbing electronic games -- immersive action-adventure games like the Deus Ex I'm currently playing, or drag-you-along-by-the-nose board games like ol' Civ -- to be a mental stimulant at least as strong as caffeine. Not only do they keep me awake while I am playing them, but I remain mentally jazzed for some time afterwards. Heretofore I have thought nothing of popping in a game, before bed, coz it was just like reading myself to sleep, right? Uh-huh. I think of the tobacco lobby saying that a ciggy is no more harmful than a Twinkie.

Secondly, I think I'm going to buy this watch, even though I wrote them to ask for more info about their guarantee and they never wrote back. It's gotten some nice reviews (I heard about it from more neutral sites), and it's not terribly expensive; I'm willing to gamble a coupla C-notes on the promise of better sleep, and better waking. (Through science!)

Comments

Let me know...

[kyroraz.livejournal.com]

As a person who has a lot of sleeping issues, this is something that perks my interest. Hmmmm.

I remember dream sequences when I was in college after studying for finals where my brain would continue to process the information and I still would be studying forumlaes and methodology in science, or the music that I was studying to ... and that was truly irritating. I was tired when I went to the exam, but I remembered most everything ... and thought it was pretty cool and perhaps there wasn't any bad side effects ... until I arrived on the Kelly Road and realized that I had no memory what so ever between I-395 and there. Oops.

Re: Let me know...

[keimel.livejournal.com]

Ditto on the 'let us know'. While I don't have any known sleep issues or any major complaints re: this, I'd certainly like to wake up at more appropriate times. I think that when you wake up can really make a difference as to the perceived quality of your sleep.

It will be good to have someone I know writing some kind of review/opinion of the thing.

I know oasys enjoys his 'zen alarm clock' - which is a gradually more waking type device, starting off quiet, then getting louder every few minutes.

[hauntmeister.livejournal.com]

Oh, yeah! I'm with you on the video games. I had to make a rule for myself, "No Doom after 10:00", or else I couldn't fall asleep.