Still waking up early in retirement

[LXEX55]

My job always required that I wake up early, usually around 4:30 am or so. I never had trouble waking up early, never groggy or anything. Woke up without an alarm clock. I have been retired for more than one year and I am still waking up at that time. Not that I want to, but I am wide awake by 5 am or so. So, I get up and putter around. My wife is a really sound sleeper and does not wake up until hours later. I tried going to bed later, working out in the gym every day to tire myself out, etc. but nothing works. I don't drink much coffee so I don't think that's it. Is anyone else still on their work schedule even though they don't want to be?

 

[iloveyoga]

After seven years of no alarm, I still wake up around 5:30 or 6. I just roll with it and try to follow what my body wants to do.

 

[pacergal]

I am four years into retirement. This was a big issue for me at first, but I have gotten used to it. Sometimes I can roll over and go back to sleep, sometimes not.
DH and I wake up time for work was around 5/530. Still wake up anywhere from 4-6, no matter what time I go to bed.
But I sleep more restfully, and take an occasional nap! Not too often though, as that nap is what really messes with my sleep.

 

[braumeister]

Nothing wrong with being an early bird; I'm the same way.

 

[street]

Over 4 years and still up at 5 no matter when I go to bed or how tired I am. It is fine with me I love the morning so not a big deal for me. A habit is hard to break.

 

[Nemo2]

Next month it'll be 32 years since I was 'gainfully employed', so I'm happy just waking up at all.

 

[CardsFan]

When I retired just under 5 years ago, I slept in for the first 3 or 4 weeks. Used to be up before 6, and now I was sleeping until 8. But, over time, I slowly went back to around 6, rarely as late as 7.

Of course the dog may be part of the reason

 

[nap470]

I grew up on a dairy farm where the "chores" started at 5AM to be able to finish and catch the school bus at 7:15 AM. All through my work career I was always in the office between 7-8 AM. Four months into retirement and I am still up early. My dog and I have our personal time together and enjoy sunrise walks. Then I enjoy coffee on the deck while observing the suburban world rushing of to work. Very enjoyable as I have always been a morning person.

Winter weather might require some adjustment...

 

[Car-Guy]

When I was working I'd be up by 5am... Maybe even a little earlier... I don't recall how long it took me to adjust but now it's more like 7 to 7:30.

 

[Bamaman]

I'm up at 4:00 a.m. like clockwork. After breakfast, I often take a nap--the best sleep of my day--for an hour or two.

I try to get out of the bed by the time Let's Make a Deal and Price Is Right come on. Sometimes, they're the most positive shows in my day.

The trick is trying to stay up later at night.

 

[Lawrencewendall]

I'm lucky if I wake up before 10. Oh well.

 

[SJ1_]

My job always required that I wake up early, usually around 4:30 am or so. I never had trouble waking up early, never groggy or anything. Woke up without an alarm clock. I have been retired for more than one year and I am still waking up at that time. Not that I want to, but I am wide awake by 5 am or so. So, I get up and putter around. My wife is a really sound sleeper and does not wake up until hours later. I tried going to bed later, working out in the gym every day to tire myself out, etc. but nothing works. I don't drink much coffee so I don't think that's it. Is anyone else still on their work schedule even though they don't want to be?

Not any more but it takes awhile . I been retired over 8 yrs now

 

[eytonxav]

If I sleep till 5:45 AM, that is some serious over sleeping for me. If you are a morning person, those habits are hard to break.

 

[Dtail]

Early bird here too. Latest I wake up is 6am.

 

[martyp]

10 years into retirement I am still waking up at 6am. For several years I was taking some pleasure with mid day naps but I seem not to do that anymore. What is crucial for me is to make sure I go to sleep by midnight otherwise I will feel it the next day.

 

[Mr. Tightwad]

The dogs got me up at 5:45 today. Around 6 is the usual time.

 

[Mango1956]

5:30 the cat nips DH’s arm (if outside the covers) and then we wake up ( and I wait for the coffee to arrive in bed). We should do a poll. The way this is trending I think 90% of us are awake by 6AM.

 

[2017ish]

Go with what's comfy for you. When working, I got up at 0537 to avoid traffic when working (left house at 0605). Now, I tend to get up an hour or so after DW, who is/was a stereotypical doctor-morning person.

Many nights, we go to bed together and I read on my kindle for a couple of hours after she is asleep.

 

[grasshopper]

4:30 for me, I need to get in the summer to beat the hot Arizona sun on my walk. In the winter just force of habit.

 

[Ronstar]

Usually around 5am. Same when I was working. Never used an alarm.

 

[HF63]

Same boat here, when working 4 am was wake up time. When I sleep late in 6 am is the latest. My body internals are set like a clock.

 

[jollystomper]

I find getting up at 6am works for me. I prefer to golf early, so that helps with the course about 30 minutes away. On non-golf days I can do my planning for the day early and be onto things by 7am.

Occasionally I sleep late and do not get out until 8 or 9am.. but waking up that late tends to make me sluggish the rest of the day. Fine for days when I choose to do absolutely nothing, but I do not want to make that a routine.

 

[Nick12]

4am every morning . In bed by 10pm.

 

[DrRoy]

5:30-6 vs 5:20 before. The day seems too short if I get up later, and I can't sleep longer than that anyway.

 

[Ole Red 29]

6 to 7 AM. Would love to take naps but just can't seem to get into the habit (can't fall asleep).