What do you do in the witching hour? Anyone else have this issue?
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After being "switched on" all day (ie. coding, cooking, shopping, playing games, making plans for the coming weeks etc.) I generally reserve the evenings for "shutting down" time. This means switching off most stimulating things and cracking on some mindless TV or a background movie, then an hour or so before going to bed I'll crack open YT on my iPad and watch some really mindless videos 'til it's time to call it a night! I tend to find without having the time to properly wind down I can end up going to sleep thinking about too much (whether it's work-related or just thinking about future plans) and in those situations I can end up being awake at 4am :laugh: It's really important to draw that line at some point in the day where you can commit to shutting down the laptop/computer. Edit Should note that my wife generally goes to bed about 4 hours before I do. With her being in the bedroom it gives me that freedom to mess around and watch stuff.
I'm glad you found something that works for you. That's not my issue though. In my case, my sleep condition is a comorbid symptom of something I've got going on between my ears. It's neurological and not fixable, so I am learning to live with it, but the biggest challenge for me is what to do with all the empty space.
Real programmers use butterflies
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I'm sitting in a dark bedroom with my hubby sleeping behind me, unable to keep myself entertained because I'm burnt on coding. With rare exceptions, I only sleep for four hours at a time, tops. That means I'm up at weird hours pretty much every day. What the heck do you do with your time at midnight, assuming making noise isn't on the table? Maybe I need a whole new set of hobbies. Meh.
Real programmers use butterflies
There's nothing wrong with not needing much sleep. Up to about 15 years ago, I needed only 6 hours sleep a night, so I spent those extra hours reading whatever I didn't have time for during the day. I would suggest that you find something (other than work) to fill in the time. This could be studying a subject (plenty of stuff is available online), craftmanship (the quiet kinds, such as knitting or jewelry making), or anything else that takes your fancy.
Freedom is the freedom to say that two plus two make four. If that is granted, all else follows. -- 6079 Smith W.
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honey the codewitch wrote:
What the heck do you do with yourself at midnight
You may want to rephrase this :-O Anyway, I sleep :D As I often say, I am very long lasting in bed: I can sleep for 12 hours easy.
GCS d--(d-) s-/++ a C++++ U+++ P- L+@ E-- W++ N+ o+ K- w+++ O? M-- V? PS+ PE- Y+ PGP t+ 5? X R+++ tv-- b+(+++) DI+++ D++ G e++ h--- r+++ y+++* Weapons extension: ma- k++ F+2 X
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I'm sitting in a dark bedroom with my hubby sleeping behind me, unable to keep myself entertained because I'm burnt on coding. With rare exceptions, I only sleep for four hours at a time, tops. That means I'm up at weird hours pretty much every day. What the heck do you do with your time at midnight, assuming making noise isn't on the table? Maybe I need a whole new set of hobbies. Meh.
Real programmers use butterflies
2 benadryl.
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I'm sitting in a dark bedroom with my hubby sleeping behind me, unable to keep myself entertained because I'm burnt on coding. With rare exceptions, I only sleep for four hours at a time, tops. That means I'm up at weird hours pretty much every day. What the heck do you do with your time at midnight, assuming making noise isn't on the table? Maybe I need a whole new set of hobbies. Meh.
Real programmers use butterflies
Coming from a non-Judeo Christian culture but working in Finance, witching to me means this: [Triple witching hour - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triple\_witching\_hour) :-D
Cheers, Vikram.
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I'm sitting in a dark bedroom with my hubby sleeping behind me, unable to keep myself entertained because I'm burnt on coding. With rare exceptions, I only sleep for four hours at a time, tops. That means I'm up at weird hours pretty much every day. What the heck do you do with your time at midnight, assuming making noise isn't on the table? Maybe I need a whole new set of hobbies. Meh.
Real programmers use butterflies
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I'm sitting in a dark bedroom with my hubby sleeping behind me, unable to keep myself entertained because I'm burnt on coding. With rare exceptions, I only sleep for four hours at a time, tops. That means I'm up at weird hours pretty much every day. What the heck do you do with your time at midnight, assuming making noise isn't on the table? Maybe I need a whole new set of hobbies. Meh.
Real programmers use butterflies
omphaloskepsis
«The mind is not a vessel to be filled but a fire to be kindled» Plutarch
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I'm sitting in a dark bedroom with my hubby sleeping behind me, unable to keep myself entertained because I'm burnt on coding. With rare exceptions, I only sleep for four hours at a time, tops. That means I'm up at weird hours pretty much every day. What the heck do you do with your time at midnight, assuming making noise isn't on the table? Maybe I need a whole new set of hobbies. Meh.
Real programmers use butterflies
Cleaning the litter box :-\
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I'm sitting in a dark bedroom with my hubby sleeping behind me, unable to keep myself entertained because I'm burnt on coding. With rare exceptions, I only sleep for four hours at a time, tops. That means I'm up at weird hours pretty much every day. What the heck do you do with your time at midnight, assuming making noise isn't on the table? Maybe I need a whole new set of hobbies. Meh.
Real programmers use butterflies
I kinda wished I had that problem. I'm at a point in my life where no matter how much time I spend in bed, I'm pretty much always tired anyway. And I cannot simply stay in bed, say on weekends, for X amount of additional time, no matter how hard I try. "They" keep saying 8 hours a day as the standard recommendation for an adult...and while I can stay in bed for 8 hours, there's no way I ever get 8 hours of actual sleep during that time period. I think I got off on a tangent...what do I do with my time at midnight? During weekdays, I'm sleeping (or trying to). On weekends...I might still be playing some game or watching a movie...but if I'm still up at that time, it won't be for much longer anyway.
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I'm glad you found something that works for you. That's not my issue though. In my case, my sleep condition is a comorbid symptom of something I've got going on between my ears. It's neurological and not fixable, so I am learning to live with it, but the biggest challenge for me is what to do with all the empty space.
Real programmers use butterflies
honey the codewitch wrote:
but the biggest challenge for me is what to do with all the empty space
Fill it. I've noticed that when the brain is to tired to do actual work, there's still enough energy to fill it with knowledge. Here's a good place to start: Curated Links • Damn Interesting[^] (It's free of ads. So if you like it you should consider a donation)
Wrong is evil and must be defeated. - Jeff Ello
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I kinda wished I had that problem. I'm at a point in my life where no matter how much time I spend in bed, I'm pretty much always tired anyway. And I cannot simply stay in bed, say on weekends, for X amount of additional time, no matter how hard I try. "They" keep saying 8 hours a day as the standard recommendation for an adult...and while I can stay in bed for 8 hours, there's no way I ever get 8 hours of actual sleep during that time period. I think I got off on a tangent...what do I do with my time at midnight? During weekdays, I'm sleeping (or trying to). On weekends...I might still be playing some game or watching a movie...but if I'm still up at that time, it won't be for much longer anyway.
Oh I'm tired all the time. I don't stay in bed. :((
Real programmers use butterflies
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I'm sitting in a dark bedroom with my hubby sleeping behind me, unable to keep myself entertained because I'm burnt on coding. With rare exceptions, I only sleep for four hours at a time, tops. That means I'm up at weird hours pretty much every day. What the heck do you do with your time at midnight, assuming making noise isn't on the table? Maybe I need a whole new set of hobbies. Meh.
Real programmers use butterflies
When I end up in a similar situation (albeit less "burned on coding" and more "brain still in overdrive from coding"), I grab my kindle. My girlfriend doesn't mind me reading at low brightness. When that doesn't help, I get up and do something explicitly passive, i.e. watching infotainment with headphones.
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I'm sitting in a dark bedroom with my hubby sleeping behind me, unable to keep myself entertained because I'm burnt on coding. With rare exceptions, I only sleep for four hours at a time, tops. That means I'm up at weird hours pretty much every day. What the heck do you do with your time at midnight, assuming making noise isn't on the table? Maybe I need a whole new set of hobbies. Meh.
Real programmers use butterflies
You need to break this habit. I go to bed at 21:00 and get up at 05:30. I am much more productive.
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I'm sitting in a dark bedroom with my hubby sleeping behind me, unable to keep myself entertained because I'm burnt on coding. With rare exceptions, I only sleep for four hours at a time, tops. That means I'm up at weird hours pretty much every day. What the heck do you do with your time at midnight, assuming making noise isn't on the table? Maybe I need a whole new set of hobbies. Meh.
Real programmers use butterflies
Some ideas: - watch stars, constellations, moon etc (you might buy a telescope or even build one) - study weather patterns and clouds by night - study the animal kingdom at night. - night photography (no success for me) - redo thought experiments, - train memory by reliving a past holiday (whatever) in as much detail as possible
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I'm sitting in a dark bedroom with my hubby sleeping behind me, unable to keep myself entertained because I'm burnt on coding. With rare exceptions, I only sleep for four hours at a time, tops. That means I'm up at weird hours pretty much every day. What the heck do you do with your time at midnight, assuming making noise isn't on the table? Maybe I need a whole new set of hobbies. Meh.
Real programmers use butterflies
Wireless headphones are a joy. I use mine for audiobooks, podcasts, and music. If I'm antsy enough to not want to lie in bed, tightly snuggled by hubby, I play Minecraft (very calming). If you want to actually sleep, I recommend a great podcast called 'Boring Stories for Bedtime' by Sharon Handy. Sweet dreams ... or not ;P
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I'm sitting in a dark bedroom with my hubby sleeping behind me, unable to keep myself entertained because I'm burnt on coding. With rare exceptions, I only sleep for four hours at a time, tops. That means I'm up at weird hours pretty much every day. What the heck do you do with your time at midnight, assuming making noise isn't on the table? Maybe I need a whole new set of hobbies. Meh.
Real programmers use butterflies
Drugs are your friend
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I'm sitting in a dark bedroom with my hubby sleeping behind me, unable to keep myself entertained because I'm burnt on coding. With rare exceptions, I only sleep for four hours at a time, tops. That means I'm up at weird hours pretty much every day. What the heck do you do with your time at midnight, assuming making noise isn't on the table? Maybe I need a whole new set of hobbies. Meh.
Real programmers use butterflies
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I'm sitting in a dark bedroom with my hubby sleeping behind me, unable to keep myself entertained because I'm burnt on coding. With rare exceptions, I only sleep for four hours at a time, tops. That means I'm up at weird hours pretty much every day. What the heck do you do with your time at midnight, assuming making noise isn't on the table? Maybe I need a whole new set of hobbies. Meh.
Real programmers use butterflies
I have to stop coding after about 9pm. If I continue after that, I am up much of the night and wasted the next day.
Outside of a dog, a book is a man's best friend; inside of a dog, it's too dark to read. -- Groucho Marx
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I'm sitting in a dark bedroom with my hubby sleeping behind me, unable to keep myself entertained because I'm burnt on coding. With rare exceptions, I only sleep for four hours at a time, tops. That means I'm up at weird hours pretty much every day. What the heck do you do with your time at midnight, assuming making noise isn't on the table? Maybe I need a whole new set of hobbies. Meh.
Real programmers use butterflies
- Meditate - Read - Watch movies with headphones - Scroll social media until I get to the end of the Internet My wife knits while doing the above. I would practice playing the piano, except they complain of my pounding on the keys even though the sound is off.
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I have to stop coding after about 9pm. If I continue after that, I am up much of the night and wasted the next day.
Outside of a dog, a book is a man's best friend; inside of a dog, it's too dark to read. -- Groucho Marx
Check with your doctor to make sure there isn't anything abnormal afoot. Perhaps you should lean into your tendency and try biphasic sleeping ( [^] ) If you want to become a "traditionalist sleeper" stop using screens ~1 hr before bed, minimize your exposure to the blue light part of the spectrum, and meditate ~ 15 mins before going to sleep. If your head still insists on waking you up after 3-4 hrs, try doing some non-stimulating things like, gentle stretching, warm bath, meditation to see if you can get to sleep again. People are different and this just might be your body's strong preference as to sleep. If you need to fill those strange quiet hours, consider taking up an art, like writing, drawing, painting, etc. it will encourage the non-logical side of your brain to come out an play.