Can You Catch Up On Sleep?

One of the rules of I Can Make You Sleep (and of most advice I've read on sleep) is get up at the same time every day. So now it's confession time: I have been slightly cheating on that in that although my alarm has gone off at the same time every day, I haven't always leapt straight out of bed. I haven't stayed longer than the twenty minutes you are allowed to be awake in bed, and it doesn't seem to have stopped me getting to sleep at nights.

Today however, I fell asleep after the alarm went off, and woke half an hour later. I'm guessing one morning won't matter too much, but it's a reflection on how I feel in the mornings. Although overall I have more energy than I had before this program, that doesn't extend to mornings! Perhaps that's just because it's so dark, and once we're past the shortest day maybe that will change. I'd love to hibernate right now though!

The reason McKenna and others give for getting up at the same time is that it helps your body to adjust to a set routine. I can see that this makes sense, because I have noticed with my children in particular that if they sleep late on weekend mornings they then are wide awake at bedtime on Sunday night and of course Monday mornings are not much fun! Still, I'm so sleepy already this evening that I feel sure sleep will come rapidly.

Day/Night 13
Again there is not much to say. Last night we got to bed earlier and my sleep is gradually improving. The run of late nights has definitely left me feeling more tired again.  I now know for sure that late nights do not suit me! Apparently we don't ever "catch up on sleep" by going to bed early or sleeping late, though experts don't seem to agree on this. All I can do is get to bed a bit earlier take each day at a time and it won't be long till I am no longer tired in the mornings.

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