Comments on: The battle over bedtime

By: Janet Bailey

Janet Bailey — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 01:41:49 +0000

@Michelle – The computer hypnosis effect—if only it served as a transition into sound sleep! Too bad it’s just the opposite, eh? Good luck with your striving.

By: Michelle

Michelle — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 08:04:56 +0000

This too is what I am striving for:

“Turn off the computer by 8:30 or 9:00pm. This also includes stopping other work, such as bill-paying. So that I have the time I need to wind down before bed.”

Somehow when the computer is on, time seems to get quite carried away!!

By: Janet Bailey

Janet Bailey — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 02:35:15 +0000

@Ash – That slipping back after one or two days is really common. I read something about this phenomenon in the NYTimes—searching for the article…

@Shawna – Oh yes, the “few minutes of light reading,” dangerous! Yoga is much more reliable.

@Pauline – I like your brain too! Happy Frasier-watching.

By: Pauline Esson

Pauline Esson — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 09:16:31 +0000

I’m not a night owl but I do have trouble stopping before I’m finished and what you said about
“So that I’m going toward something I value, not just giving something up.” is a really helpful thing for me.
If I stop but have nothing to go to then it’s fritter fritter time and doesn’t feel good at all…I’m giving up productive time to fritter! My get things done part won’t put up with that and has me straight back to work.
But if I have the recorded episodes of Frasier to go to (which are on tv here at 8.30 in the morning so I record them for later), then there’s a much better chance of feeling good about stopping.
I like the way you think.

By: Shawna R. B. Atteberry

Shawna R. B. Atteberry — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 04:12:01 +0000

I’m a night owl too. But I noticed last year that I’m not as productive that late as I used to be. Still trying to figure out how to pull back the bedtime and wake up a little earlier. One thing that has worked is some light, relaxing yoga at night to tell my body and mind, OK it’s time to wind down and relax. And if I don’t start reading that novel for “light reading before bed” I might get into bed before 1:00 a.m….

By: Ash

Ash — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 23:24:34 +0000

Excellent post! I am also a nightowl as I feel I am most productive when there are no distractions (phone, people, etc). I’ve tried going to bed early and waking up early and when I do it, its been great. However, it only lasts one or two days before I find a reason to stay up late again (whether its to communicate with people I work with overseas, knock out a blog post, or read other blogs with useful information related to my passion of marketing). I like your idea about people staying up as sort of a childish rebellion. I was not allowed to stay up late when I was a child so perhaps your theory has some legs to it.

-Ash