How to set your "internal clock"?

[Ds]

Hey this is probably a silly question but I'm have a problem sleeping in. It's good on the weekends but when it comes to a school day (like today) I can't seem to wake up on time!
I have 6 clock alarms, plus my cell phone, and I somehow turn them all off when I'm asleep.

Anyone know of any idea's on how to set your "internal clock"?

 

[The Narrator]

it might be a problem setting your internal clock if you can never manage to wake up at that time..

I'd think the way to do it would just be regularly getting up at the right time with an alarm everyday even weekends (probably a bit extreme) and your body would gradually get accustomed to waking up at that time.

but 6 clock alarms..?

 

[Ds]

Thanks, yeah I have that many alarm clocks hidden through out my dorm room because I can never wake up at a set time, and I have to strategically place the alarm clocks that involves most action.

Do you recommend drinking coffee to help with this?

 

[Dtergent]

For me, the single most important thing for waking up early is not to eat a heavy meal, or to eat late in the night. Try to eat a light meal at around 6PM and maintain some light physical activity (like walking) until around 8PM, then get to bed at around 10PM. I feel much lighter and clearer when I do this-- otherwise (after having late dinner meetings), I get someone to call me on my cellphone or ask someone at home to wake me up.

 

[euphoria]

Yeah, I would suggest having someone else wake you up, if that's at all possible, since you are turning off your alarms. Then, try as hard as you can to go to bed and wake up at the same time every day. It usually works for me in about a week, but then again I'm a total morning person

 

[L2R]

the health kick in dt's post is a very good start. i also try to not have anything heavy after 6pm.

another option is to do something you enjoy in the morning. i watch an episode of a tv show i like during breakfast every morning. since i enjoy what i am about to do, i am actually pleased with the sound of my mobile phone alarm. sometimes i've even pre-empted it and automatically awoke prior to it going off! this gets me up earlier than actually required and makes me alert and fresh by the time i start my day. i also get my caffeine from green tea througout the day.

 

[The Narrator]

the health kick in dt's post is a very good start. i also try to not have anything heavy after 6pm.

another option is to do something you enjoy in the morning. i watch an episode of a tv show i like during breakfast every morning. since i enjoy what i am about to do, i am actually pleased with the sound of my mobile phone alarm. sometimes i've even pre-empted it and automatically awoke prior to it going off! this gets me up earlier than actually required and makes me alert and fresh by the time i start my day. i also get my caffeine from green tea througout the day.

I do the pre emptive thing as well, I wouldnt rely on it though haha. I've woken up at some really bizarre times minutes before my my alarms go off for things that are way out of my normal routine ie. catching a plane at 4 in the morning

 

[KStoner6tb]

It's gotten a lot easier for me as I've gotten a little older. And yes, coffee has definitely smoothed my transition into a morning person.

Just like a lot of other "healthy living" type stuff, it's if you really want to get up that early.. ie dicipline. If you feel like slackin off, and hitting the snooze, well then you'll never arm your internal clock. FORCE yourself to wake up early those first few mornings(when it may be hard because you can't fall asleep seemingly early enough)

I can pretty much guarantee you D's, once you go, say a week tops(most likely a couple days) of making yourself get up early; you'll start adjusting and it will be easy to fall asleep early therefore getting enough sleep so it's not such a struggle to get up.

Last, don't stay up late doing shit. Once you get in a somewhat rythym of waking up early, get your ass in bed at a reasonable time. Drinking also makes things very difficult and should be avoided if at all possible.

 

[L2R]

I do the pre emptive thing as well, I wouldnt rely on it though haha. I've woken up at some really bizarre times minutes before my my alarms go off for things that are way out of my normal routine ie. catching a plane at 4 in the morning

yes! how weird is that! i've done that too. i remember one time vividly, i had my first day back to work after a short time off with irregular patterns and preempted the alarm by about ten clear seconds. bizarre stuff.

 

[RedLeader]

Caffeine is a good motivator, ya. Back in Uni, I used to discipline myself by not turning off my (very annoying) alarm clock until I had pounded a Red Bull. In fact, I'd sit the can on top of the clock. There's no turning back from that point. I went from being a snooze alarm addict to changing from completely asleep to already logged into MSN within 30 seconds.

 

[yougene]

Reset Your Sleep Cycle with a 16-Hour Fast

 

[Opiate 420]

You could possibly have a circadian rhythm sleep disorder, but definitely don't take my word on that, there are literally hundreds of sleep disorders, you could have one, or none, or multiple. If your interested in finding out if you have a sleep disorder you need visit a sleep clinic, going to a doctor will not suffice.

this is one circadian rhythm disorder:
if it sounds like you maybe look further into it

Delayed Sleep Phase Syndrome (DSPS): This is a disorder of sleep timing. People with DSPS tend to fall asleep at very late times and have difficulty waking up in time for work, school, or social engagements

Often, people with the disorder report that they cannot sleep until early morning, but fall asleep at about the same time every "night". Unless they have another sleep disorder such as sleep apnea in addition to DSPS, patients can sleep well and have a normal need for sleep. Therefore, they find it very difficult to wake up in time for a typical school or work day. If, however, they are allowed to follow their own schedules, e.g. sleeping from 4 a.m. to noon, they sleep soundly, awaken spontaneously, and do not experience excessive daytime sleepiness. - wiki

So you need to wake up at 6am? when does the sun come up where you live if the sun rises at say 5 or 530, and you sleep next to a window, then leave the blinds open and the sunlight should wake you up. I have a book about sleep, and took a whole class on it last semester, really interesting. They actually have alarm clocks now that you can buy that will expose you to light to help you get up if you don't sleep next to a window or in Alaska or somethin.

This is how the alarm clock works:

Wake up gently by light
Starting half an hour before your set wake up time,
the Wake-up Light gradually fills your room with bright light like a rising sun. The light gently prepares your body for waking up while you are still asleep. So, if the wake up time is set at 7 am, the light will gradually get stronger starting at 6:30.
At 7 am the light has reached its highest level, which you can adjust to your personal preference.

more info

Among other factors, your clock is “set” by your exposure to bright light such as sunlight. Exposure to bright light or “light therapy” is one method used to treat people with a circadian rhythm sleep disorder.

The goal for treating patients who have circadian rhythm problems is to combine a healthy sleep pattern with an internal clock that is set at the right time. This will allow them to enjoy the benefits of good sleep.

Light therapy can help someone “re-set” a clock that is off. Regular sleep patterns help to keep the clock set at the new time.

 

[The Narrator]

yes! how weird is that! i've done that too. i remember one time vividly, i had my first day back to work after a short time off with irregular patterns and preempted the alarm by about ten clear seconds. bizarre stuff.

last few days in a row now i've been beating my alarm by a minute or so, perhaps i've subconsciously set my body clock alarm by reading this thread.

The adverse affect of this is that i lie there for a minute wondering what time it is then my alarm scares the shit out of me every time without fail 8)

 

[Ds]

Me too! I have 3 main alarms I use (Cellphone, and clock radios). With the Clock Radios I have one set for a "crunk-ghetto-bitchs-n-hoes" radio station, and for the other I have it one the "annoying buzz". All tho the AM/FM channel is always on a static channel, even when I set it to a station. It's the worst because It goes off, and scares the shit out of me.
I also have found that having a woman in my bed screws up my sleep pattern.
(It's nearly impossible to "cuddle" in a standard college twin size bed) Not only I'm grasping my companion for comfort, I also don't want to fall off of my bed.
I actully slept good last night, and woke up in a decent manner this morning.
Insted of waking up at 4:00am I pushed it to 5:00am. Since I look at 4am early as fuck, 5am sounds better, and if I fall asleep at 12am 5am sounds more comforting rather than 4am.

 

[lil angel15]

Two tricks I use to re-set my clock, so to speak, is to:

1. Put my alarm somewhere that I have to get out of bed to turn it off,

and

2. Have a large glass of water straight after turning the alarm off.

A week or so of doing this will get you into a routine which will lead to similar results to IP and you will pre-empt your alarm on most mornings.

 

[L2R]

last few days in a row now i've been beating my alarm by a minute or so, perhaps i've subconsciously set my body clock alarm by reading this thread.

The adverse affect of this is that i lie there for a minute wondering what time it is then my alarm scares the shit out of me every time without fail 8)

ahaahahahahh me too. this week has been hectic and i've been wrecked every night, but i have preempted my alarm almost every morning. weird.