I get off work most nights at 1o p.m. and sleep anywhere from 11 to 12 a.m..
It’s not uncommon for me to stay awake until 2 a.m., either working on a project or reading something interesting.
But this routine has made it difficult to guess when I will wake up: some days, I will wake up at 7 or 8 in the morning, and others at 9 or 10.
This morning, for example, I woke up at 8 after sleeping at 12.
Yet, when I woke up, I freaked out and thought I woke up at 10.
Why is that?
Well, I asked Perplexity, and it suggested a few reasons:
- Irregular sleep schedule confuses my internal clock.
- Anxiety about time can amplify my reaction.
- Lack of environmental cues makes it harder to tell what time it is.
All of which I agree with. So what could I do to change it?
- Keep a more consistent sleep and wake time, even on days off.
- Use an alarm clock or a smart device that shows the time clearly when you wake up.
- Let natural light into your room in the morning, if possible.
- Practice calming techniques if you wake up anxious (deep breathing, grounding exercises).
Now that I’ve written about it, I must go and put this to practice.
I’ll see what works and what doesn’t.
It’s a simple fix, most things often are.
Here’s my quote for the day.
If the answer isn’t simple, it’s probably not the right answer.
Tim Ferriss