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Comment by ptah | Hacker News Reader

I found it also helps to go to bed before that late night "second wind" kicks in

True for me. I often get really sleepy around 9-10 PM. When I force myself to go to bed right then, when my eyelids are heavy, I usually sleep through the night (with perhaps a 15-minute semi-awake period in the middle) and wake around dawn feeling well-rested. But if I shrug off my drowsiness, I usually get a second wind around 11 that will keep me going until at least 1 AM, and then the next day I don't feel rested at all.

I have vastly different values but same effect. If I sleep when I am drowsy I sleep solid for 1 to 3 hours, then I am awake for sometimes 3 hours after that. If I sleep again it's solid until midday, which leaves me waking up at the same time as before except with 3 hours wasted awake in bed in the middle.

If I take the second wind I am awake until early morning and then out like a light for a solid 8 hours, again waking at midday.

I have tried dozens of possible schedules and I eventually revert to this if given time. When working a 9-5 it inevitably turns into an 11-7 and I am tired all the time regardless.

that reminds me: in the past humans had 2 sleeps and an awake period in the middle. you could try and get up and get some work done in that middle period? https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-16964783

I did that for about 3 months this year. I would go to bed around 6, wake up at 10. Then I would eat, go for a walk, and work on my hobbies/side projects until about 3AM and sleep until 7AM. It was honestly a very refreshing way to live.

Just happened to me last night : \

For me that's a 30 minute window between 22:00 and 22:30. If I fall asleep then I wake up 04:15. If I fall asleep after 22:30 I wake up around 9-10 in the morning.

sigh

maybe do some reading 4:15-5:00 and sleep another two hours or so after?

I've been sick with a cold for around a week, and have been going to bed early due to exhaustion. I've consistently woken up around 11pm each time I did this due to the second wind kicking in, staying awake for at least an hour.

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