"Tensing" has always worked well for me. Strangely enough, my Jr.High guidance counselor taught our class how to do this as a way to relax (~1988) and I've been doing it ever since.

I envy those who are able to lay down and immediately fall asleep. I'm in bed for at least several hours before I drift off.

theDevilsDue

@Archnemesis_Goldenhair: It is definitely possible to oversleep. Oversleeping will cause you to feel just as tired as not sleeping enough. Unfortunately, most people cite the "8-9 hours average" as being a universal time frame to shoot for. This is simply not correct. Everyone's circadian rhythm is different, and you have to find your proper balance. There is also the issue of waking up at the proper time during your sleep cycle. I've heard of a special wrist-watch that you might look into that is supposed to track your sleeping pattern and will only ring when your in the proper time in your sleep cycle (within a time range that you actually set). Something to look into (although you should note that this is a method that is based on your sleep-cycle, not total hours slept).

OptoGeek

@maztec: Oh i hear you on the catnaps. I'm in that category of under 5 hours a night but i have a few short naps during the day when I have time. It works for me and i'm usually incredibly refreshed and productive after my naps.

AnthoMacP

Taybay: Phah, modern pseudoscience that. Sure, you can prove that for a small population of the people. But not everyone. People have different schedules.

I just wish the clocks would stay consistent and people would just do what works for them. I love my afternoon catnap.

maztec

"Tenser," said the Tensor.

Panhandler

You will always feel tired if you do not follow your circadian rhythm. Your body naturally wants to sleep during the night time. You should be in deep sleep by about 3AM, but in order to be at that point you must be asleep a few hours before that. If you sleep 12 hours but completely off-schedule from your rhythm, it wont make you feel any less tired.

taybay

I tried saying "the" at irregular intervals, but somehow I found a rhythm that goes with it and then started composing my own song in my head. I should try random words like "floorkafbah".

josephers

Varies, depends when my first lecture is, sometimes I go to bed at 3am and have to wake up at 8, sometimes I go to bed at 3am but don't have to wake up til 2pm.

Sometimes I go to bed earlier, sometimes I go to bed earlier...

I have a messed up sleep pattern, yes.

Maurik

Does oversleeping cause that?? At least, that's what my mum told me when I'd have a massive 9 - 10hr sleep on the weekends and she'd tell me I'd had TOO much.

Still enjoyable :)

Foiler

@archnemesis - Part of the reason might be that you are sleeping, but not as deeply as your body needs. Relaxation techniques like these can help.

For those wanting some more info and free downloads, check out [ccc.byu.edu] I used to work for this group and we just finished making a bunch of stress management/relaxation recordings.

youngheart80

So far I'm the only over 8 hour sleeper. My question is why am I still tired when I wake up?

Archnemesis_Goldenhair

I hear about timing your sleep to wake up in a certain stage of sleep, but the time it takes me to fall asleep each night varies. So how can I possibly set my alarm correctly?

Brendan Ross

I've never tried this one but these work for me:
[lemonlimedesigns.ca]

LemonLimeBlog

@Khamel: I dunno. It's not that hard for me. I've never been a morning person, but it's easier for me to wake up at 4:30 than 5:30. I actually think it's my body's twisted attempt to replicate my natural graveyard shift nature while still keeping my teaching position.

I used to go to bed at 8:00 pm and wake up at 3:30 or 4:00 am, but since switching to biphasic sleep, I don't need nearly as much sleep. I sleep about five hours per day during the week. I do sleep extra on weekends, but since I wake up refreshed every day, and only get drowsy when skipping a nap, I'm not running any sleep deficit.

witeowl

@witeowl: who wakes up at 430? really, i wish i could do that. i moved 3 blocks from my job (downtown chicago) so i could sleep as late as humanly possibly and walk to work. i could probably save hundreds a month if i could wake up earlier.

Khamel

@taybay: Pshaw! I'm happiest during summer when I go to sleep around 6:00 a.m. and get up around noon. I think it comes from years of working graveyard.

witeowl

@Brendan Ross: Here's what I do: Set up about a half-hour "window" of when you're willing to wake up. (Say, between 4:30 and 5:00.) Then, set an alarm to play music at the softest volume possible. I actually use nature sounds. That way, you wake up gently and calmly when you're in the right stage of sleep.

Somehow, though, I think my body just trains itself to be in that light stage at 4:30 every day.

(Oh, and don't forget to set a back-up alarm to blare you to life at 5:00 in case your body decides, "To hell with the lightest stage of sleep!")

Credit for the idea: [veenix.blogspot.com]

witeowl

On Ririan Project I learn to do that by repeating things that would bring peace for you. In my case, it was "peace".

Cidinho

I've been doing this tense and release for the last 16 years and it works when your tired but just can sleep. I usually start from my toes and work my way up my body tensing muscles along the way. Other things you should do is write down things your thinking about so you stop thinking about them.

ScottCowan

@theDevilsDue: Are you depressed? I was clinically depressed for 2 years during college and I would be lying awake for hours before I could fall asleep even if I was dead exhausted (which I was all the time since I was depressed). But now that I'm better, I fall asleep in a matter of minutes.

kmccormi

Brendan Ross>
It's easy to time your sleep to wake up in Stage 1 or 2 of sleep (light sleep). Count in half hour intervals because that's approx how long it takes to go through the stages. So if you go to sleep at 12AM and want to wake up around 6, that is 12 cycles.

[lemonlimedesigns.ca]

LemonLimeBlog

Depends; Some days, I could sleep for 10 hrs. Other days - my schedule won't permit more than 5 (some days? I'm a student who also works full time, a dad, and an Assistant Scoutmaster - with a failing marriage - so some days? I don't sleep at all. Period).

And then there are the very frustrating days when I have the luxury of an 8 hr sleep, but I'm beset by insomnia, and lay awake for most of that time.

Afternoon naps? Yeah, I'd love that. But my body won't sleep in the afternoon, even if I find a rare afternoon where I can have that luxury.

I'll tell ya what though. Losing that 40 lbs has done wonders for my sleep apnea.

jafac

For me it's just a practiced relaxation routine - not like the post above. I just release all tension in my muscles and I'm dead to the world in under 10 minutes. Doing it daily helps a lot, though.

drsmith

@Archnemesis_Goldenhair: 8 hours of sleep is just an average. If you need an alarm clock to wake you up, you are not getting enough sleep. Some people need 5 hours, others need 10, we are all different. On days you can sleep in, do you still feal tired. If so, you might have a sleep disorders such as obstructive sleep apnea, especially if you are overweight (look at JAFAC's comment). Look up sleep hygiene and see if you are following good sleep habits.

Also don't worry about other people's circadian rhythms. Once again people are different (though people that sleep at night tend to have better sleep than the 3rd shifters). You sleep cycles are based on time asleep, not clock time. And while people like to use these 90 min cycles as a basis for sleeping, I am not aware of any research that supports this (plus, the type of sleep in the cycles changes as the night goes on with more deep sleep at the beginning of the night and more REM sleep toward the end).

joe reader

I think it is interesting that at the time I am typing this 72 people have voted polyphasic. I was a polyphasic sleeper for 6 months and found it hard to get family, employers and teachers to understand my 20 min naps. I am thinking of going back to it but would love some advice on dealing with other people not understanding that those naps are important.

imrcly

polyphasic sleep.. interesting...

What do you call a sleeping pattern where you work(or at least not going to sleep) for around 2-3 days or sometimes upto a week continuously.. and then when you sleep you sleep for more than 18 hours or soemtimes upto 48 hours continuously..

Thats what my sleeping pattern is...

rungss

@OptoGeek: Thanks for the info bout the watch, I think my circadin rythym might be in conflict with my work schedule.
@joe reader: Yeah, I need an alarm to wake up. Again, due to my annoyingly early work schedule. Hopefully better sleep hygiene can remedy that.

Archnemesis_Goldenhair

Surprisingly, repeating "the" helped me. Not in a meditation way, but to make me stop thinking. I usually don't fall asleep because I'm running ideas through my head for work, family projects, or the 2 non-profits where I volunteer. If I wake up in the middle of the night, even if I'm half asleep I will process a bunch of new ideas. Most "sleep better" techniques don't work for me. I fell asleep much faster last night.

koagem

@youngheart80: The BYU link doesn't work. "404 Not Found"

the_craigster

If none of these things helps, ever, for god's sake get to a doctor. This is experience speaking.

Eilonwynn

[www.pzizz.com]

"pzizz is a software application for Mac and PC that creates audio soundtracks that help you to nap during the day or get to sleep at night. The wonderful thing is that you can tailor them to suit you and they're different every time!"

They have free mp3s of generic "energizer nap" and "sleep nap". I haven't tried the software but those have worked for me.

Beldar