Beginning in September (because isn’t September always about new beginnings?), I will be going back to training twice per week with Patty, my delightful, encouraging, motivational, highly-experienced personal trainer at Spa Lady. In the summer, due to my work schedule and Patty’s (usually fully booked) schedule, we couldn’t find two times to train that worked for us both, so I dropped it back to once. I am mowing my lawn, gardening and hedge trimming so those weekly workouts weren’t really missed – I thought.
However, there is a discipline that comes with scheduled commitments which is missing and my nutritional intake changed. Targeted strength training only once per week is not enough, so I am committing to twice a week at an early morning time.
I can no longer be nocturnal. This is probably a good thing.
My question to you is, have you ever successfully shifted your sleep patterns to “early to bed, early to rise” when you were previously a night owl? If so, what tips do you have to help me succeed in this new commitment? I know I can’t switch cold turkey from going to bed at 10 p.m. instead of midnight. It’s like jet lag.
My total shift for the new schedule will be a full two hours, so it’s like I’ve moved to the east coast. I tried to go to bed earlier last night but it turned into one of those interrupted nights, with the dog unusually restless, waking me at 4:30 a.m. and again at 6:24 (a standard happening), well before my regular 7:30 a.m. alarm.
Ideas I’m trying:
- Start going to bed about 15 minutes earlier, increasing by 15 minute increments earlier each 4-5 days from now until then.
- Plan to shift my work hours to arrive earlier on the four days I work so I’m early to bed, early to rise *every* day.
- Catch up on lost sleep on Saturday and Sunday mornings
I’d love hearing your input, if you have succeeded. If you’ve failed at this, no need to comment because I do failure really well already. (smile)
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| I can do this! |
