[robhack]

I've tried so many things, and most of the things I read here in the comments sounds like fairy tales (just do it, go to bed earlier, ..). I'll spare you the details (I should make a blog post about it), but here's what worked for me:

- get a dawn simulation device (doesn't work on its own, but still helps waking up more gently) // the more powerful/lumen, the better

- likewise for audio: volume going up slowly (I use AlarmDroid), for this, use a gentle non-continuous sound (knock knock, pause, knock knock, pause) the idea is that a continuous sound is too much annoying, forces you to go turn it off asap and go back to sleep. You may use a more brutal sound for your real wake-up time (so, at the end of the dawn simulation), the idea is that you'll have a gentle alarm beforehand and hopefully fear the brutal alarm and just get into a habit of getting up before the brutal alarm.

- best for the end: padlock your alarm in a solid case, and put the key in your mailbox the night before (hopefully not too close to your bedroom, in my case, I may meet neighbors, so it forces me to fully clothes on). A key-less alarm at the other side of the rooms does NOT work and you will just get up, shut it down and go back to sleep.

- bonus : use a very bright light (at least 5000+ lumen) on a programmable plug for the end of the dawn simulation (or just get a really powerful dawn simulation one, not sure if that exists though)

edit: added bonus

edit2: everyone is different, I just wanted to add my part to the overall list of ideas, please check out all the other comments, different stuff works for different people! (the coffee one sounds interesting, I would have tried it if I was a coffee drinker)

edit3: This should be common sense, but please don't use this as a way to sleep less. I use this because even when I sleep a fair amount (9+ hours for multiple days, I still struggle to wake up).

[horsecaptin]

The only thing that works for me: go to sleep early enough that I'll get my full eight hours of sleep. Leave some room for those times when I'm more exhausted than usual. This means falling asleep by 10pm to wake up by 6:30am on weekdays.

[robhack]

Yeah, please do try this also. Everyone is different. Personally, When I try just going to bed early, I just end up fully conscious for hours in my bed not falling asleep. (edit: and yes I tried with using f.lux, not using a computer screen, reading on a passive Kindle, just listening to music beforehand).

[horsecaptin]

I have a couple of suggestions for your sleeplessness for those times when you try to fall asleep earlier:

Definitely, it helps to be tired enough to sleep. But to be tired enough, you need to wake up early.. kind of circular. A heavy workout earlier in the day often does the trick too. If you're trying to make it a habit, then doing it gradually is probably the way to go: fall asleep earlier by 15 minutes each day.

There are also times when there are just too many thoughts in your head that won't go away - it helps to close the eyes, roll them up, do one of two techniques:

1) Consciously don't hold onto any particular thought. This is a meditation technique. Oddly enough, I think we do this naturally when we're really tired and sleepy.

2) Take yourself back to an activity that required total presence of mind and body: for me it's sky diving. I'm just falling, adjusting... and pretty soon I'm asleep and dreaming. I guess this is more of a visualization technique.

Both of those work to take the mind off attention grabbing thoughts and moving you to a more relaxed state.

[hrayr]

>> most of the things I read here in the comments sounds like fairy tales (just do it, go to bed earlier, ..)

They don't sound like fairy tales, they sound like things that work for them and perhaps others. It's OK that some tips are not practical for you, it doesn't make them any less useful.

[robhack]

You're right, I should have written it as « sounds like fairy tales to me ». Everybody's different, and I just felt this way because that's the kind of suggestions I often read while I had trouble waking up and made some research, and it obviously didn't work for me.. That said: please, do try as many things as possible and see what works for you, start with the easy stuff.