# sleep hygiene **URL:** \ **Category:** uncategorized\ **Created:** [March 19, 2014, 8:34am UTC](https://forum.beeminder.com/t/sleep-hygiene/1491 "2014-03-19T08:34:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![David\_Ernst](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/forum.beeminder.com/david_ernst/32/681_2.png) [@David\_Ernst](https://forum.beeminder.com/u/David_Ernst)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2014, 8:34am UTC](https://forum.beeminder.com/t/sleep-hygiene/1491/1 "2014-03-19T08:34:08Z")
Hi Akratics, Any sleep hygiene best practices? Have you used Beeminder for going to bed at a certain time? Or getting a certain amount of sleep? Please share your thinking 🙂 – You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups “Akratics Anonymous” group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [akratics+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com](mailto:akratics+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com). For more options, visit [https://groups.google.com/d/optout](https://groups.google.com/d/optout). ---
**Author:** ![Lincoln\_Quirk](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/forum.beeminder.com/lincoln_quirk/32/686_2.png) [@Lincoln\_Quirk](https://forum.beeminder.com/u/Lincoln_Quirk)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2014, 12:17pm UTC](https://forum.beeminder.com/t/sleep-hygiene/1491/2 "2014-03-19T12:17:46Z")
For a couple weeks I restricted myself to averaging no more than 6.5 hours of sleep. I didn’t use Beeminder for this but it’s an obvious application of Do Less goals. I also restricted my caffeine intake (this one I did use Beeminder for). Other things that have helped me: I sleep in a dark room and just recently installed a timer on a lamp, to add extra light during the morning hours. That was quite effective in helping me get out of bed. I use melatonin for various purposes - to help me feel tired sleep, help me fall asleep, get less total sleep, and adjust my sleeping schedule. Actually, if you’re looking for a sleep-related wonder drug, check this one out. Making sure not to consume caffeine after X time in the afternoon. (This time differs by person - for me it’s about 6pm, but I’ve heard of people who can’t drink coffee after about 2pm or their nighttime sleep is affected). Taking post-lunch naps. I noticed I was always tired about an hour after lunch. If I took the nap, I would be able to be productive again in 25 minutes, whereas if I tried to “power through” I would experience low productivity for another couple hours. So I started always opting for the nap. On Wed, Mar 19, 2014 at 4:34 AM, David Ernst [david@ernsts.us](mailto:david@ernsts.us) wrote: > Hi Akratics, > > Any sleep hygiene best practices? Have you used Beeminder for going to bed > at a certain time? Or getting a certain amount of sleep? > > Please share your thinking 🙂 > > – > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > “Akratics Anonymous” group. > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > email to [akratics+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com](mailto:akratics+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com). > For more options, visit [https://groups.google.com/d/optout](https://groups.google.com/d/optout). – You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups “Akratics Anonymous” group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [akratics+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com](mailto:akratics+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com). For more options, visit [https://groups.google.com/d/optout](https://groups.google.com/d/optout). ---
**Author:** ![Noah\_Slater](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/forum.beeminder.com/noah_slater/32/672_2.png) [@Noah\_Slater](https://forum.beeminder.com/u/Noah_Slater)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2014, 4:04pm UTC](https://forum.beeminder.com/t/sleep-hygiene/1491/3 "2014-03-19T16:04:24Z")
I’m having a really big problem with this at the moment, and would love to know what other people are doing. One thing I’m thinking about is automating a “virtual boss” in the form of Beeminder. i.e. If I don’t wake up by X time, or get into the office by Y time, then I have to mark a “0” on my goal. If I do, I make a “1”. And then set the goal to 5 a week. On 19 March 2014 09:34, David Ernst [david@ernsts.us](mailto:david@ernsts.us) wrote: > Hi Akratics, > > Any sleep hygiene best practices? Have you used Beeminder for going to bed > at a certain time? Or getting a certain amount of sleep? > > Please share your thinking 🙂 > > – > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > “Akratics Anonymous” group. > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > email to [akratics+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com](mailto:akratics+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com). > For more options, visit [https://groups.google.com/d/optout](https://groups.google.com/d/optout). – You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups “Akratics Anonymous” group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [akratics+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com](mailto:akratics+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com). For more options, visit [https://groups.google.com/d/optout](https://groups.google.com/d/optout). ---
**Author:** ![byorgey](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/forum.beeminder.com/byorgey/32/70_2.png) [@byorgey](https://forum.beeminder.com/u/byorgey)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2014, 4:28pm UTC](https://forum.beeminder.com/t/sleep-hygiene/1491/4 "2014-03-19T16:28:47Z")
These kinds of “binary goals” (you get a 1 or a 0 depending on whether you do something or not) work well in my experience. However, if the goal is to get into the office on time, I would make the goal slightly less than 5 per week—say, 4.5, which would allow you to get in late once every two weeks, or maybe even 4 (once a week). Leaving yourself absolutely no room for occasional failure is simply demoralizing. If you end up doing significantly better than your goal and building up a safety buffer, you can retroratchet and/or adjust the goal upwards slightly and/or reward yourself by sleeping in and making pancakes and going to work late one day. =) As for beeminding sleep more generally, there have been previous discussions of the subject on this list—see, for example, [Redirecting to Google Groups](https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/akratics/4DDrp14uXQE) and [Redirecting to Google Groups](https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/akratics/8XwRMituHFQ) . -Brent On Wed, Mar 19, 2014 at 12:04 PM, Noah Slater [nslater@tumbolia.org](mailto:nslater@tumbolia.org) wrote: > I’m having a really big problem with this at the moment, and would love to > know what other people are doing. > > One thing I’m thinking about is automating a “virtual boss” in the form of > Beeminder. i.e. If I don’t wake up by X time, or get into the office by Y > time, then I have to mark a “0” on my goal. If I do, I make a “1”. And then > set the goal to 5 a week. > > On 19 March 2014 09:34, David Ernst [david@ernsts.us](mailto:david@ernsts.us) wrote: > > > Hi Akratics, > > > > Any sleep hygiene best practices? Have you used Beeminder for going to > > bed at a certain time? Or getting a certain amount of sleep? > > > > Please share your thinking 🙂 > > > > – > > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > > “Akratics Anonymous” group. > > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > > email to [akratics+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com](mailto:akratics+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com). > > For more options, visit [https://groups.google.com/d/optout](https://groups.google.com/d/optout). > > – > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > “Akratics Anonymous” group. > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > email to [akratics+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com](mailto:akratics+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com). > For more options, visit [https://groups.google.com/d/optout](https://groups.google.com/d/optout). – You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups “Akratics Anonymous” group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [akratics+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com](mailto:akratics+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com). For more options, visit [https://groups.google.com/d/optout](https://groups.google.com/d/optout). ---
**Author:** ![Noah\_Slater](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/forum.beeminder.com/noah_slater/32/672_2.png) [@Noah\_Slater](https://forum.beeminder.com/u/Noah_Slater)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2014, 4:31pm UTC](https://forum.beeminder.com/t/sleep-hygiene/1491/5 "2014-03-19T16:31:27Z")
Well, I figured I’d turn up to the office on the weekend if I wanted to make up slack. I work remotely anyway, so the “office” for me is just a space to sit down and get work done. I can go in on the weekends and do personal things. Net result is: I’m waking up early on the weekend to make up for waking up late during the week. Evens out, I think? Not actually put this into operation yet. On 19 March 2014 17:28, Brent Yorgey [byorgey@gmail.com](mailto:byorgey@gmail.com) wrote: > These kinds of “binary goals” (you get a 1 or a 0 depending on whether you > do something or not) work well in my experience. However, if the goal is > to get into the office on time, I would make the goal slightly less than 5 > per week—say, 4.5, which would allow you to get in late once every two > weeks, or maybe even 4 (once a week). Leaving yourself absolutely no room > for occasional failure is simply demoralizing. If you end up doing > significantly better than your goal and building up a safety buffer, you > can retroratchet and/or adjust the goal upwards slightly and/or reward > yourself by sleeping in and making pancakes and going to work late one day. > =) > > As for beeminding sleep more generally, there have been previous > discussions of the subject on this list—see, for example, > [Redirecting to Google Groups](https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/akratics/4DDrp14uXQE) and > [Redirecting to Google Groups](https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/akratics/8XwRMituHFQ) . > > -Brent > > On Wed, Mar 19, 2014 at 12:04 PM, Noah Slater [nslater@tumbolia.org](mailto:nslater@tumbolia.org)wrote: > > > I’m having a really big problem with this at the moment, and would love > > to know what other people are doing. > > > > One thing I’m thinking about is automating a “virtual boss” in the form > > of Beeminder. i.e. If I don’t wake up by X time, or get into the office by > > Y time, then I have to mark a “0” on my goal. If I do, I make a “1”. And > > then set the goal to 5 a week. > > > > On 19 March 2014 09:34, David Ernst [david@ernsts.us](mailto:david@ernsts.us) wrote: > > > > > Hi Akratics, > > > > > > Any sleep hygiene best practices? Have you used Beeminder for going to > > > bed at a certain time? Or getting a certain amount of sleep? > > > > > > Please share your thinking 🙂 > > > > > > – > > > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google > > > Groups “Akratics Anonymous” group. > > > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send > > > an email to [akratics+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com](mailto:akratics+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com). > > > For more options, visit [https://groups.google.com/d/optout](https://groups.google.com/d/optout). > > > > – > > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > > “Akratics Anonymous” group. > > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > > email to [akratics+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com](mailto:akratics+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com). > > For more options, visit [https://groups.google.com/d/optout](https://groups.google.com/d/optout). > > – > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > “Akratics Anonymous” group. > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > email to [akratics+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com](mailto:akratics+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com). > For more options, visit [https://groups.google.com/d/optout](https://groups.google.com/d/optout). – You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups “Akratics Anonymous” group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [akratics+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com](mailto:akratics+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com). For more options, visit [https://groups.google.com/d/optout](https://groups.google.com/d/optout). ---
**Author:** ![byorgey](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/forum.beeminder.com/byorgey/32/70_2.png) [@byorgey](https://forum.beeminder.com/u/byorgey)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2014, 4:39pm UTC](https://forum.beeminder.com/t/sleep-hygiene/1491/6 "2014-03-19T16:39:23Z")
Sure, then in that case I think a goal of 5 could work. The general principle is that you should have a way to make up slack _by doing something of value to you_. -Brent On Wed, Mar 19, 2014 at 12:31 PM, Noah Slater [nslater@tumbolia.org](mailto:nslater@tumbolia.org) wrote: > Well, I figured I’d turn up to the office on the weekend if I wanted to > make up slack. I work remotely anyway, so the “office” for me is just a > space to sit down and get work done. I can go in on the weekends and do > personal things. Net result is: I’m waking up early on the weekend to make > up for waking up late during the week. Evens out, I think? Not actually put > this into operation yet. > > On 19 March 2014 17:28, Brent Yorgey [byorgey@gmail.com](mailto:byorgey@gmail.com) wrote: > > > These kinds of “binary goals” (you get a 1 or a 0 depending on whether > > you do something or not) work well in my experience. However, if the goal > > is to get into the office on time, I would make the goal slightly less than > > 5 per week—say, 4.5, which would allow you to get in late once every two > > weeks, or maybe even 4 (once a week). Leaving yourself absolutely no room > > for occasional failure is simply demoralizing. If you end up doing > > significantly better than your goal and building up a safety buffer, you > > can retroratchet and/or adjust the goal upwards slightly and/or reward > > yourself by sleeping in and making pancakes and going to work late one day. > > =) > > > > As for beeminding sleep more generally, there have been previous > > discussions of the subject on this list—see, for example, > > [Redirecting to Google Groups](https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/akratics/4DDrp14uXQE) and > > [Redirecting to Google Groups](https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/akratics/8XwRMituHFQ) . > > > > -Brent > > > > On Wed, Mar 19, 2014 at 12:04 PM, Noah Slater [nslater@tumbolia.org](mailto:nslater@tumbolia.org)wrote: > > > > > I’m having a really big problem with this at the moment, and would love > > > to know what other people are doing. > > > > > > One thing I’m thinking about is automating a “virtual boss” in the form > > > of Beeminder. i.e. If I don’t wake up by X time, or get into the office by > > > Y time, then I have to mark a “0” on my goal. If I do, I make a “1”. And > > > then set the goal to 5 a week. > > > > > > On 19 March 2014 09:34, David Ernst [david@ernsts.us](mailto:david@ernsts.us) wrote: > > > > > > > Hi Akratics, > > > > > > > > Any sleep hygiene best practices? Have you used Beeminder for going to > > > > bed at a certain time? Or getting a certain amount of sleep? > > > > > > > > Please share your thinking 🙂 > > > > > > > > – > > > > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google > > > > Groups “Akratics Anonymous” group. > > > > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send > > > > an email to [akratics+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com](mailto:akratics+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com). > > > > For more options, visit [https://groups.google.com/d/optout](https://groups.google.com/d/optout). > > > > > > – > > > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google > > > Groups “Akratics Anonymous” group. > > > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send > > > an email to [akratics+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com](mailto:akratics+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com). > > > For more options, visit [https://groups.google.com/d/optout](https://groups.google.com/d/optout). > > > > – > > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > > “Akratics Anonymous” group. > > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > > email to [akratics+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com](mailto:akratics+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com). > > For more options, visit [https://groups.google.com/d/optout](https://groups.google.com/d/optout). > > – > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > “Akratics Anonymous” group. > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > email to [akratics+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com](mailto:akratics+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com). > For more options, visit [https://groups.google.com/d/optout](https://groups.google.com/d/optout). – You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups “Akratics Anonymous” group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [akratics+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com](mailto:akratics+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com). For more options, visit [https://groups.google.com/d/optout](https://groups.google.com/d/optout).