This is my two cents, I've asked something similar a while ago (
https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=8946451), there's some really good answers there. Unfortunately, I've tried them all but there was always something kicking me back in the "old night owl habits".
To give you an idea, my typical (great) day in the holidays was something like bed around 1am, wake up at 9am/10am.
Same as you this was difficult to accomodate when you have to wake up at 6.30am-7am the latest to go to the office.
What drastically changed everything was the discovery that I could wake up at 4am "like a breeze". I've started reading more about sleep cycle (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sleep_cycle) and circadian rythmn (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Circadian_clock) and by that I mean trying to take that on account and apply it.
After much experimenting, I've found out I have 3 "wake up slots" where I can wake up with no efforts and feeling refreshed. During the last months they changed a bit but finally stabilized to : between 4.30am-5am, at 6am sharp and between 8-9am. Same with falling asleep, I can fall asleep in 20min or less if I'm in bed around 10pm or around 11pm. Anything after that and I have trouble to fall asleep - the owl is still around! :)
List of benefits is quite long but here's the best 3 for me:
- I'm in an "auto-piloted equilibrium" ; if I go to bed a 10pm I automatically wake up at 6am. If I go to bed at 11pm, I will still wake up at 6am but the evening after I will feel the urge to go to bed at 9.30pm already. I'm just not fighting it and oblige.
- Since my sleeping pattern is balanced, I don't feel worried or gloomy about sleep anymore (the "pff i will wake up late feeling like shit again" thoughts). I know that it will welcome me (which in turn makes it better). Mood improved a LOT.
- I don't need no stinky alarm clock in the morning. I set one up just in case but I haven't heard it for a long time.
Aside of that what helped also was to use a light box in the morning and having something to do right away ; I usually look forward watching a lecture on youtube while having my morning coffee.
Interestingly, it's been a month that I changed jobs for a full remote position. I thought the owl would come back (with a vengeance) but actually it is not the case at all! I've now completely ditched my alarm clock and I'm always up between 6-6.10am and slowly using the previous commute time for other things (sport mostly).
As said above, the owl is still there, I just give it free reigns over the weekend and not the week days =)
To give you an idea, my typical (great) day in the holidays was something like bed around 1am, wake up at 9am/10am. Same as you this was difficult to accomodate when you have to wake up at 6.30am-7am the latest to go to the office.
What drastically changed everything was the discovery that I could wake up at 4am "like a breeze". I've started reading more about sleep cycle (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sleep_cycle) and circadian rythmn (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Circadian_clock) and by that I mean trying to take that on account and apply it.
After much experimenting, I've found out I have 3 "wake up slots" where I can wake up with no efforts and feeling refreshed. During the last months they changed a bit but finally stabilized to : between 4.30am-5am, at 6am sharp and between 8-9am. Same with falling asleep, I can fall asleep in 20min or less if I'm in bed around 10pm or around 11pm. Anything after that and I have trouble to fall asleep - the owl is still around! :)
List of benefits is quite long but here's the best 3 for me:
- I'm in an "auto-piloted equilibrium" ; if I go to bed a 10pm I automatically wake up at 6am. If I go to bed at 11pm, I will still wake up at 6am but the evening after I will feel the urge to go to bed at 9.30pm already. I'm just not fighting it and oblige.
- Since my sleeping pattern is balanced, I don't feel worried or gloomy about sleep anymore (the "pff i will wake up late feeling like shit again" thoughts). I know that it will welcome me (which in turn makes it better). Mood improved a LOT.
- I don't need no stinky alarm clock in the morning. I set one up just in case but I haven't heard it for a long time.
Aside of that what helped also was to use a light box in the morning and having something to do right away ; I usually look forward watching a lecture on youtube while having my morning coffee.
Interestingly, it's been a month that I changed jobs for a full remote position. I thought the owl would come back (with a vengeance) but actually it is not the case at all! I've now completely ditched my alarm clock and I'm always up between 6-6.10am and slowly using the previous commute time for other things (sport mostly).
As said above, the owl is still there, I just give it free reigns over the weekend and not the week days =)