A month ago I decided to start turning off all my screens (TV, computer, phone) at midnight. It was a smashing success. Within a week I’d moved to 11 PM, and I’m toying with 10. Some if it is undoubtedly the red/yellow light effect and cutting down on stimulation before bed. Coincidentally finding books that were interesting enough to read but not upsetting enough to disrupt bed time was also helpful. But the single biggest effect I’m consciously aware of is giving me something to succeed at late at night.
Setting a real bed time never worked for me because if I wasn’t asleep by then I was failing. Failing is no fun, and a sense of it inhibits sleep. But not using screens is an action I choose. And then I am succeeding at my goals, which is an excellent feeling to get to sleep with. Plus apparently what I do when I can’t use screens but am not tired enough to get into bed is clean, and I am slowly undoing the damage done by six months of post-surgical fatigue. Now when I wake up my apartment is slightly cleaner than I remember it. This is an excellent way to wake up.
Aceso Under Glass 