I've slept 8+ hours every single night for a year. AMA [Re-Post]

General
61

Do you drink caffeine in the day?

62

Nico said:
Do you drink caffeine in the day?

I drink one espresso about 2 hours after waking

63

Nico said:
Do you drink caffeine in the day?

Cutting out caffeine in combination with getting sunlight in the morning has led to the biggest improvement in my sleep. I no longer wake up several times through out the night. I used to have a hard time getting out of bed in the morning but now I have a much easier time.

64

@Payton
Do you mean cutting out caffeine completely or just limiting the amount and time during the day that you consume it?

65

Winslow said:
@Payton
Do you mean cutting out caffeine completely or just limiting the amount and time during the day that you consume it?

For me it makes no difference if I have one cup early in the morning or five late at night. I will wake up all night long. So I cut it out completely.

66

Do you have strict no screen habits before bed? Can you please run through the last two hours of your avg day for the past year. Aka. Do you prep for sleep/ what’s your routine? (Context. I’m finally at the last hurdle. I moved mountains to have a peaceful place to rest, and I just get caught working on music late at night. I need to stop)

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@Teegan
I actually do not have a very strict no screen habit, but one thing I do is dim/reduce the lighting in my home about 3 hours before bedtime. No big overhead lights late in the evenings.

My usual prep is: I don’t eat after 7pm, dim my lights at around 9pm and then do something relaxing like watch a bit of TV, stretch or read a book until about 10. Then 10-11 I’m just chatting with wife, brushing teeth, warm shower and getting ready to be in bed by about 10:45

68

I had a professor who taught evening classes so he could sleep in until 4pm. He said he was doing it for health reasons. Not sure when he was getting to bed.

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Kendall said:
I had a professor who taught evening classes so he could sleep in until 4pm. He said he was doing it for health reasons. Not sure when he was getting to bed.

i think generally sleep duration is more important than the specific sleep and wake times… although it is also important to get enough sunlight/vitamin d

70

in your opinion what products are a waste of money?

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Sage said:
in your opinion what products are a waste of money?

for me melatonin did nothing. tried a couple of expensive pillows and ended up returning them (felt like my old fashioned walmart pillow suited me better). white noise machines work but i think can be replaced by a simple fan

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@Teal
thanks for answering! What product was most worth it?

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@Teal
How long did you try melatonin before you deemed it unhelpful?

74

What is the biggest change/benefit you have seen due to your new successful regime of consistent sleep?

75

Bao said:
What is the biggest change/benefit you have seen due to your new successful regime of consistent sleep?

  • feeling way more sharp cognitively. work has become more enjoyable - big impact on my work
  • more positive outlook on life - feeling more appreciative/grateful - big impact on mood
  • better ability to connect with my wife. i feel like i’m more present - big impact on everything!
  • increased libido (I’m in my early-mid 30s) - big impact on relationships
  • overall I have a feeling of confidence and calm that has made my life a lot more positive
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@Teal
Thanks for your response :slight_smile:

77

wear pajamas? what material?

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Emerson said:
wear pajamas? what material?

i sleep in a tshirt+boxers. tshirts usually just cotton, boxers i actually use some that are made of tencel, and my sheets and blanket are also tencel

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Any tips on clearing your head while lying in bed? Ifind myself going through a thought frenzy every night

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Kit said:
Any tips on clearing your head while lying in bed? Ifind myself going through a thought frenzy every night

I think this is really difficult to do, and the preparation for this actually starts right when you wake up. When you wake up, get sunlight right away so it signals the day’s beginning to your body. That kind of starts the “timer” so that you will be more sleepy by bedtime. Of course, limiting caffeine and exercising will also help a lot.