topic Re: Anyone else get up really early and not because of a job? in Wellness

Anyone else get up really early and not because of a job?

gazelle77 — Wed, 22 Oct 2014 16:06:43 GMT

I generally get up between 3:30 AM an 4:00AM everyday. I go to sleep about 10:00 PM. I am not working now, and find I just wake up at this early time of day ready to go.

When I was working I had odd hours... got home about 8PM at night.. ate dinner late.. fell asleep about 1:30AM... I feel a lot better now eating my dinner about 5PM and fasting throught the night until morning. A full 12 hours no snacking. When I was working I ate my dinner SO LATE... and went to bed with a full tummy.

I never enjoyed my sleep until this last couple of years where I can go to bed when I want to and not by a work schedule. I take plenty of herbs in the evening for sleep, drink Chamomile tea only in the afternoon and through to bed time to help me sleep well.

I never use to value my sleep... now I LOVE MY SLEEP!

Re: Anyone else get up really early and not because of a job?

wagirl — Wed, 22 Oct 2014 16:12:37 GMT

Hey gazelle--sounds like me-----I have been waking up at that same time for years. Should just get up and get my day going but have fam members that may not want to hear a vacuum running at 5 in the a.m. Go fig!? Have never slept great--I'm lucky if I get 5 or 6 hours in and then thats not quality sleep at all.

Re: Anyone else get up really early and not because of a job?

brandiwine — Wed, 22 Oct 2014 16:14:27 GMT

When I worked, I had to be on the job no later than 7. Now in the summer I'm out walking my dog before 6 and in the winter I'm still awake before 6. I seem to have a different kind of joy and energy for the day. I loved my job, but now I get to decide, for the most part, what my days look like. I never thought I'd be this busy after working. Exercise classes, helping with an 85 yr old friend, volunteer work, traveling, and my granddaughter keep me on my toes. Then the perks of lunch and movies during the day with friends or just me. Life is a gift and there's nothing like a sunrise over the mountains, or sunset on the ocean.

Re: Anyone else get up really early and not because of a job?

gazelle77 — Wed, 22 Oct 2014 16:17:38 GMT

On 10/22/2014 wagirl said:
Hey gazelle--sounds like me-----I have been waking up at that same time for years. Should just get up and get my day going but have fam members that may not want to hear a vacuum running at 5 in the a.m. Go fig!? Have never slept great--I'm lucky if I get 5 or 6 hours in and then thats not quality sleep at all.

I just treasure my mornings... the quiet... and peace. Love those early morning walks in the spring when it is light early... just the birds, me and my lovely little dog.

Re: Anyone else get up really early and not because of a job?

pattypeep — Wed, 22 Oct 2014 17:00:07 GMT

I've been retired for six years and still get up at the same time I did when I was working. Between 5 and 5:30. Last night I only got about two hours of sleep and I still woke up at the same time. I've never been able to sleep in and make up for lost sleep. I also love the mornings. My favorite time of day. I go to bed around 8:30 and watch TV for about an hour (with my two dogs and cat sharing the bed).

Re: Anyone else get up really early and not because of a job?

Clover29 — Wed, 22 Oct 2014 17:21:36 GMT

Not me. I am solar powered, so I start shutting down as soon as it gets dark, and wake up with the dawn.

I thought getting a dog might mess with my sleep schedule, but he's great: the later it gets light in the morning, the longer he sleeps in too

Re: Anyone else get up really early and not because of a job?

Perkup — Wed, 22 Oct 2014 17:48:20 GMT

I've been retired for about 10 years now, but still wake up early. I have a dog who definitely can tell time. He wants to get up at 5:00 A.M. every day, including weekends. And he wants to eat at 5:00 every evening. At 12:30 he wants to go outside for an afternoon break and again he wants out at about 10:15 in the evening. He was six when we got him, and I guess he came from a home with structured hours, but he is right on time every day and night. So I get up at 5:00 and although I go to bed fairly early, he gets me up shortly after ten to take a night time break.

Re: Anyone else get up really early and not because of a job?

PamelaSue72 — Wed, 22 Oct 2014 18:02:35 GMT

Even though we are still working and have to awaken early, we've not used an alarm clock in years. We have six furry feline alarm clocks who are ready for their breakfast at 5:00 a.m. Our sole male cat, who will turn 19 years old in a few months, has decided that he'd really like breakfast now at 4:00 and he does his best to talk us into getting out of bed at that time. DH and I are both near to retirement age and I have a feeling that even when we retire, we will still be awakening early....the cats will make sure of that.

I refuse to feed any cat before 5:00!

Re: Anyone else get up really early and not because of a job?

LilacTree — Wed, 22 Oct 2014 18:04:41 GMT

I used to be a late sleeper and went to bed late as well. If it wasn't for work, I could have easily slept until 10-11 AM. However, the past five years or so, I wake up before the sun rises, which is pretty early in the morning in the winter. I try to get back to sleep, but I just can't. So I eat my "dinner meal" at about 4 PM, and am ready to lie down around 7 or so. I usually fall asleep for about a half hour, then I can watch some TV, but hardly ever make it through the 10 PM shows anymore. So I have to watch them on ON DEMAND during the day.

I guess aging changes one's circadian rhythm (just like it changes everything else).

Re: Anyone else get up really early and not because of a job?

RedTop — Wed, 22 Oct 2014 18:11:47 GMT

I do not like to get up early, and don't, unless my husband has a VA appt that requires early labs.

Re: Anyone else get up really early and not because of a job?

banjo — Wed, 22 Oct 2014 18:19:07 GMT

I get up between 5 and 6 every morning. I just like getting up early every day. My husband gets up later than I do, but I enjoy the quiet in the early morning.

Re: Anyone else get up really early and not because of a job?

colliegirls — Wed, 22 Oct 2014 18:37:38 GMT

My in-laws get up at 5 and meet friends early at Shoneys for breakfast and usually go back and take a nap watching morning TV. I think our sleep patterns are the habit we have gotten into. We wake up on the weekends the same time we do on work days but without the alarm.

Re: Anyone else get up really early and not because of a job?

151949 — Wed, 22 Oct 2014 18:39:02 GMT

Generally I go to bed around midnight and wake up around 7AM. A good , undisturbed nights sleep. If I go to bed early I wake up in the middle of the night so I prefer to stay up later so I sleep until a reasonable time. When i was working I had to get up between 4:30AM and 5AM , depended on the weather. Even on my days off the dog was used to getting up to go out at 5AM so she woke me up anyway. Sleeping until 7 feels like a luxury.

My DH goes to bed around 9PM and sleeps until I wake him at 7 . I don't understand how he sleeps so many hours every day.

Re: Anyone else get up really early and not because of a job?

pinky ann — Wed, 22 Oct 2014 18:48:58 GMT

Another early bird here, up by 5:00 or earlier every day, and not having to get to work. We have three kitties that are used to me being up by then. I get up, have my coffee and do my morning devotions and whatever other quiet things I like until DH gets up. In the evening I'm upstairs watching tv by 7:30 or 8:00, but not usually asleep until an hour or more later.

My brother is the same way, as was our dad. One added benefit for me is seeing all of the of wildlife around here early in the morning. Deer, bear, all sorts of birds and critters keep me company and I love them. We live in the mountains, in a very rural area, which is why we're so blessed with all of these friends. I hope my current schedule never has to change, as I love it! pinky

Re: Anyone else get up really early and not because of a job?

gidgetgh — Wed, 22 Oct 2014 20:54:51 GMT

I wake up every day, on my own, between 4:30 and 5:30. I go to bed very early though.

Re: Anyone else get up really early and not because of a job?

Lilysmom — Wed, 22 Oct 2014 22:27:16 GMT

Always up early ... Between 5 and 6. DH sleeps in and my Lab sleeps in her kennel. No one is allowed to get up before 6 am after I've had my coffee haha. I love mornings. I used to walk in the dark in winter but, with all the coyotes and bears around, I had to give that up. LM

Re: Anyone else get up really early and not because of a job?

lolakimono — Wed, 22 Oct 2014 22:33:59 GMT

I have a cat who would like to be up in the 4:00 hour.

My alarm goes off at 5:30, but I would like to get up at 7:00. Unfortunately, I have to be at work by 7:30 so I leave by 7:00 each day.

Re: Anyone else get up really early and not because of a job?

CalminHeart — Wed, 22 Oct 2014 22:35:46 GMT

I'm always up early.....sleeping in is about 5 AM for me.

Re: Anyone else get up really early and not because of a job?

freakygirl — Wed, 22 Oct 2014 22:48:01 GMT

I think I've got everyone beat! I'm in bed every night by 7:30 and I'm up by 3am! I've been doing this for years but can't remember exactly when it started. sometimes, I'm in bed by 5:30 pm cause I'm really sleepy! when i get up at 3, I drink coffee first thing then get a good workout on my bike. on weekends though, I get up at 5.

Re: Anyone else get up really early and not because of a job?

holiday62 — Wed, 22 Oct 2014 23:23:11 GMT

Im up everyday at 4am and go to be around 8:30pm, 9pm at the latest.

I have a daughter with autism and she used to get up every morning at 3am, no matter what. She is 18yrs old now, and 4am is when she gets up now. We've only gained 1 hour in 18 yrs! LOL.

Sometimes i may take a nap for 30 minutes/1 hour, if i can. Not much more, or i cant sleep at night then. I have back problems as well and cant lay a really long time.

Tho, when all my kids were younger, i would love getting up way before then, just to have an hour or so of "quietness" before the day began. It is really nice, super early in the morning.

Cant stay up late anymore tho. Even if i try and stay up late, even if its just past 10pm, i still wake up at 4am. Just my internal clock now, i guess. Tho, really dont mind.

Funny thing, when i was young (maybe 10?), my mom was a baker at a country club and she had to go in around 2am, to do her baking. So, maybe way back then, my body starting training for those early hours! LOL! (yep, she would actually take me with her, while she baked, if there was no one to watch me. I would go back to sleep most of the time, on one of the couches. This was back in the early 70's) It was actually kind of fun!