Forming Good Habits

[Marathoner]

W2R, I thought one of the benefits of being retired was going to bed whenever you wanted and waking up whenever you wanted, no alarm necessary. Please don't disabuse me of this notion

 

[W2R]

W2R, I thought one of the benefits of being retired was going to bed whenever you wanted and waking up whenever you wanted, no alarm necessary. Please don't disabuse me of this notion

It is, and that is one of the things about ER that I love more than anything!

However, for some reason I keep staying up late at night. I'm like a kid who doesn't want to go to bed. But then, I miss the beauty and peace of early mornings if I don't get up before noon. If I could just stabilize things so that I habitually went to bed at midnight and got up at 7 every day, I would love that.

 

[Marathoner]

It is, and that is one of the things about ER that I love more than anything!

However, for some reason I keep staying up late at night. I'm like a kid who doesn't want to go to bed. But then, I miss the beauty and peace of early mornings if I don't get up before noon. If I could just stabilize things so that I habitually went to bed at midnight and got up at 7 every day, I would love that.

OK, the solution, instead of the dreaded alarm clock, is to stay up just a little bit later and then enjoy the beauty and peace of the really early mornings!

I fear that my natural rhythm involves staying up past midnight, so I imagine that once I am finally retired, I will be facing the same issues as you!

I actually should be in bed already, but I still have to shower after my evening run, so I guess I am a bit like a kid that doesn't want to go to bed, either.

 

[W2R]

OK, the solution, instead of the dreaded alarm clock, is to stay up just a little bit later and then enjoy the beauty and peace of the really early mornings!

Actually I have done that, probably once a week since I retired. Then the next evening it is easy to get to bed early.

I fear that my natural rhythm involves staying up past midnight, so I imagine that once I am finally retired, I will be facing the same issues as you!

I actually should be in bed already, but I still have to shower after my evening run, so I guess I am a bit like a kid that doesn't want to go to bed, either.

I always thought I was a morning person, but had no way of knowing until I retired. I am happier when I am up early and have time to relax before the day begins. However, I surprised myself when I retired and found that I was staying up so late. It sounds like you can relate to my rebellious wish to stay up so late.

 

[Meadbh]

I think you must be right. I have been spending the time since I posted, reading reviews of clocks like that on Amazon.com. None of them have great reviews, mostly because the sounds are annoying, on 5 second loops with clicks, and so on. I could get one that would play sounds from my iPhone or from a CD, I suppose. I was hoping for something simple. Most just have 3-5 sounds; yours must be a really nice one (as alarm clocks like that go).

Parenthetically, I was surprised to find that most of these clocks are under $100.

I have loaded some of my favourite music tracks onto my Blackberry and set the alarm to wake me with a gradually escalating loop of Michael Buble singing "Can't buy me love". It is a very smooth way to wake up.

 

[W2R]

I have loaded some of my favourite music tracks onto my Blackberry and set the alarm to wake me with a gradually escalating loop of Michael Buble singing "Can't buy me love". It is a very smooth way to wake up.

That sounds nice. I found a really nice CD of morning songbirds chirping, on Amazon, that is exactly what I would like (if there is anything that I would like). I just ordered it, along with a Sony alarm clock that can play a CD to awaken by. It also can handle input from an iPod or mp3 player or its own radio and so on, so if I get tired of listening to the birdies I can listen to music like you do.

 

[TromboneAl]

I think you need a recording along these lines:


W2R. W2R sweetheart. W2R...
WAKE UP!!!

 

[W2R]

I think you need a recording along these lines:


W2R. W2R sweetheart. W2R...
WAKE UP!!!

But, but, but.... I'll try the songbirds first, thankyouverymuch!

I'm going to start out by setting it for 9 AM for a few days, then 8 AM, then 7 AM. Easy does it. I love to awaken to the sounds of birds chirping outside my window after a rainstorm, so I am hoping this will have the same effect.

I can't believe that I ordered a new alarm clock. I have been using the same $5 digital alarm clock from K-Mart (with the big red numbers and dreadfully annoying BUZZ) for probably over 30 years.

 

[Midpack]

Wow are we different. I'm usually asleep by 9:00pm +/- an hour. DW is the night owl, she's actually seen David Letterman live, but only a few times! I assume in my case it comes for a career requiring I get up at 4:45am...haven't shaken the habit yet. Lately I've slept in anywhere between 5:00am and 6:15am, though the latter usually after being out of bed for a few hours during the night. But I don't care.

If I have to set my alarm clock again, I'll have to find the instruction book...

 

[W2R]

Wow are we different. I'm usually asleep by 9:00pm +/- an hour. DW is the night owl, she's actually seen David Letterman live, but only a few times! I assume in my case it comes for a career requiring I get up at 4:45am...haven't shaken the habit yet. Lately I've slept in anywhere between 5:00am and 6:15am, though the latter usually after being out of bed for a few hours during the night.

Well, maybe there are other reasons. Before ER I was always seated at my desk at work before 6 AM, and really liked being up early like that.

In my case, I think it is just that I am enjoying every single minute so much that I don't want to miss anything and never want to go to bed. I consider going to bed, but even if exhausted the rebel in me takes over and I don't. Then once I"m finally in bed asleep, it is hard to awaken until I have at least 6 hours in.

Didn't get to bed until 3 AM last night, but managed to get up at 9 AM. I'd rather get up early like I did when I was w*rking, so maybe this new gentler alarm clock will help.

 

[boatfishandnature]

Great insights, thank you for sharing. This is actually one of my secret worries (well, I guess not so secret, anymore! ) as I approach ER in a few months, so the comments and the recommendations were very helpful. I have already ordered The Power of Habit, by Charles Duhigg, from Amazon.

 

[Nords]

That sounds nice. I found a really nice CD of morning songbirds chirping, on Amazon, that is exactly what I would like (if there is anything that I would like).

On my first submarine in the 1980s, during the 90-day underways we used to break out our series of "nature sounds" cassette tapes. (Yeah, I know. Kids, go look it up.) We'd pop one of those into the wardroom sound system and play it at low volume during meals or even meetings. You'd hear birds chirping in the forest, or a coyote howling, maybe some approaching thunder with a rainstorm, and a babbling brook or a waterfall.

It was fun to watch people come into the wardroom, not really hearing the background noise at first, and then do a double-take. We'd listen to the damn things so often that people would actually pause the conversation to listen to their favorite parts.

Of course if you were listening to one of those and then it was interrupted by the general alarm or the fire alarm... or a loss of power... well, it's a harsh return to reality.

 

[TromboneAl]

I wake with the birds at 5 AM then struggle to go back to sleep. I've discovered that the different species take turns. The robins are always first, and then they stop and another species starts up.

 

[haha]

I have always had trouble with the birds in early am. When I was in high school I tried really hard to be in bed by 2:30 or so on Friday nights so I was sound asleep befrope they started up. To me, early am birdsong just means, OK, get up, it's day already!


It's especiially hard up here in the North, 'cause in summer those guys get a very early start!

Ha

 

[TromboneAl]

It's especiially hard up here in the North, 'cause in summer those guys get a very early start!

Ha

We have one that occasionally sings in the middle of the night.

 

[Midpack]

We have one that occasionally sings in the middle of the night.

We have a resident robin who's been sitting on the sculpture right outside our front door singing her fool head off almost like clockwork at 4am every day. The first time I heard it, I thought she was in the house! Actually it's cute...now that I know her routine.

She flops around the yard doing the injured wing routine when I mow too, though I haven't figured out where her nest is. Fun stuff...

 

[Nords]

I wake with the birds at 5 AM then struggle to go back to sleep. I've discovered that the different species take turns. The robins are always first, and then they stop and another species starts up.

We live next to one of the island's biggest rooster farms, and they have guard dogs next to the rooster pens.

Luckily all our windows at that end of the house now have double panes. But after a few weeks your brain somehow makes it all fade away to white noise.

I really enjoy listening to our yard birds. Some of their calls are just beautiful, and we'll have dueling songbirds going all day long.

 

[W2R]

I wake with the birds at 5 AM then struggle to go back to sleep. I've discovered that the different species take turns. The robins are always first, and then they stop and another species starts up.

Too bad I don't have your birds in MY yard! Seems like the birds here save their songs for rainy mornings.

My morning birdsongs CD starts with 5 minutes of robins before the other species get started, so I guess that's pretty realistic.

 

[Marathoner]

I wake up every morning to birdsong, from my parrots who have started imitating the outside birds, only louder and with a "wanna get up?" or a "good morning!" thrown in every few minutes. I just can't get that window covered up enough to trick them that the sun isn't up yet! Luckily they quiet down after about 15 minutes or so, for the rare occasions when I can sleep in.

 

[W2R]

I wake up every morning to birdsong, from my parrots who have started imitating the outside birds, only louder and with a "wanna get up?" or a "good morning!" thrown in every few minutes. I just can't get that window covered up enough to trick them that the sun isn't up yet! Luckily they quiet down after about 15 minutes or so, for the rare occasions when I can sleep in.

That is so cool that they are imitating outside birdsongs!

We used to use clothespins to fasten cheap bedspreads around the macaw cages after we put them inside the cages for the night. They liked that.

I probably told you before about the African Grey named Congo that we bird-sat for a long time, who use to demand in a loud, harsh voice, "CONGO WANT APPLE!!!" "CONGO APPLE!!!" when he wanted a treat in the morning. He could also simulate a squeaky door closing beautifully.

Back on topic, another habit that I need to work on is to finish my grocery shopping during the week, instead of finding out on a Saturday that I have nothing.

 

[audreyh1]

I wake with the birds at 5 AM then struggle to go back to sleep. I've discovered that the different species take turns. The robins are always first, and then they stop and another species starts up.

It's called "dawn chorus" if you ever wanted to read more about it.

 

[audreyh1]

After retiring, we go to bed earlier and get up earlier than when working. Mostly it's because we are outdoor people and we really appreciate the special time of the early morning outside - the light, the wildlife, the peacefulness.

 

[W2R]

After retiring, we go to bed earlier and get up earlier than when working. Mostly it's because we are outdoor people and we really appreciate the special time of the early morning outside - the light, the wildlife, the peacefulness.

I don't. That's why I'm trying to establish a habit of getting up early.

Just kidding! I know exactly what you mean. I think sometimes it's [-]a little[/-] a lot different issue for a single person with no pets, than otherwise.

 

[TromboneAl]

I am trying to develop a habit of going to bed at a reasonable hour (say, before 2 AM). But then, that is not easy if I sleep late, because then I am not tired until nearly dawn.

Getting up early would help, but this desire is at odds with the joy I feel in not setting an alarm in the morning.

So far, I have been forcing myself to get up if I should awaken briefly and it is after 8 AM. Sometimes I sleep through to late morning, though.

This is all too complicated. I guess we have to actually DO something before we can make a habit of it (more's the pity!)

Maybe I will try one of those [-]expensive[/-] soothing alarms with ocean sounds or something. I am a light sleeper, and motivated to get up early. I just hate that dreaded "BUZZZZZZZZ!!!!!!!!!" sound of my alarm clock that I heard each morning for so many years.

As I was lying in bed this morning at 6 AM, wishing I could sleep more, I thought about this. To avoid having to wake to an alarm, all you have to do is enforce your bedtime. If you get in the habit of being in bed with lights out at 2 AM, your problem is solved, right? Maybe an alarm at 1:30 AM is what you need.

I expect your body will adapt to the new schedule and not sleep until noon. Get lots of light when you wake up.

 

[Marita40]

The birds begin at 4:00 here and my two cats begin dancing and whining for breakfast at 4:01. Impossible to sleep in. So I've become a very early morning person and actually love it. It is very peaceful to sit with a cup of coffee and watch the day dawn.