Help- I'd rather sleep

[karen4u2001]

Ok, so...I would rather sleep then get up! I can go to bed at 10pm get up at 530am (kids off to school). Then go back to bed or couch from 715am- whenever I get back up or alarm goes off at 1230pm for work.

How do I get motivated to stay awake and not go back to bed! I was going for walks with my dog, but it got really cold here.

I really really really need to lose weight for health reasons.

[TandemWalker]

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@karen4u2001 wrote:

Ok, so...I would rather sleep then get up! I can go to bed at 10pm get up at 530am (kids off to school). Then go back to bed or couch from 715am- whenever I get back up or alarm goes off at 1230pm for work.

How do I get motivated to stay awake and not go back to bed! I was going for walks with my dog, but it got really cold here.

I really really really need to lose weight for health reasons.

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It's hard to tell without knowing your environment. But in a nutshell, you have to find an activity, or two or three actually so that you can vary from day-to-day, that you will enjoy doing.

Sure, if there was a gym in your area and you like that sort of thing, that would be the easiest thing to do. But there are things that you can do without leaving your home. Again, the key is to find something that you will like. It could be a couple of exercise videos, a stationary bike or elliptical workout, resistance band circuit training (you don't need a lot of space for that), and the list goes on and on really.

Once you get into the rhythm of doing a workout, not only will you not feel like going to sleep after the kids are off to school, but you will feel energized; and the weight loss will come naturally. An exercise regimen should always be enjoyable, it should never feel like punishment. Losing weight because your starving yourself and punishing yourself with streneous and lengthy exercise routines is no fun for anyone; losing weight because you're becoming more active by doing things you like doing is an essential prerequisite to a permanent paradigm shift from sedentary to a more active and healthy lifestyle.

Of course, keeping your diet in check is also important, especially if you significantly increase your activity level, which would probably call for more fuel. 

Hope this helps. Have a nice day.

 TW  

[mccjustin]

Set goals to accomplish in that window you would normally use for napping before 12:30.

These could be step goals, active minute goals, or both.

For me, when I need to get the activity in but can't go out because of weather, I walk/run a little circuit inside the house.  It's only about 20 steps, but its sufficient to give me enough distance to get up and go.  I also do steps inside the house as well as jumping jacks, wall squats and lunges.  Try this too.

Also, I would recommend acknowledging the fact that you have developed a habit / routine around this sleep behavior.  Some of it may be emotional, but physiologically speaking, if you've been doing this for awhile, you've trained your body to expect it (possibly even crave it).  So you have to alter the habit.

The way to do this is to acknowledge the trigger that drives this and change the behavior.  A fascinating book on this, one that really helped me is http://charlesduhigg.com/the-power-of-habit/

and you can glean insights from the book via this study guide https://www.randomhouse.com/catalog/teachers_guides/9780812981605.pdf

Half of your challenge is physical, the other half is mental.  You can do it!

[WolfRhan]

Well - you get 7.5 hours sleep at night so a nap seems reasonable.

I'd take the approach that the kids are off to school and this is 'your time'. 

Get them out of the house and you are good to go.

Go to the mall, go to the gym, go to the park.  Grab a coffee and do whatever you want to do. Go swimming. Whatever.  Do a workout tape or Xbox fitness.

After that time for a quick nap before work.

Pretty soon you will value 'your time' more than sleeping.

[SunsetRunner]

Suggestion: Write in big on paper (and place upon the pillow in morning):

In the morning, Going back to bed? This won't help to get rid of fat!

[Bobcat84]

Going back to sleep or staying in bed can be a nasty downard spiral - during my uni years i used to sleep far too much (not alcohol induced) and even into the early afternoon 😞 . You can find the more you sleep the more you feel tired and then sleep more, it is a result of your body never really waking up.

I changed a few things and resolved it (eventually).

 - don't sleep on the sofa: you won't get a good nap, it is bad for your body as sofas arent designed for supporting you and most importantly you link your sofa with sleep - beds are for sleeping. If you avoid napping on the sofa eventually you will stop linking your sofa with nap, and will be less likely to desire a nap when sitting down.

- Make the bedroom (and living room) inhospitable to sleep in the day: open the curtains (do this in the whole house), make the bed and throw the laundry on it. If napping is hard work you are less likely to do it.

- spend the time you would nap doing something you like as a reward; watch your favourtie TV program, read a book. It is great to have "me time" don't waste it sleeping!

- Put on some up beat music, you'll find it helps you wake up and get moving

Someone once told me "energy begetts energy" - I ahve foudn this to be true so being active makes it easier to be active the next day so the advice above of doing something active is also good.

[TandemWalker]

Good tips there @Bobcat84 ! I might use some of these myself. Thank you for sharing. Have a nice day.

 TW  

[karen4u2001]

Thank you everyone! I will try a few of those!

[chrisxr2]

Caffeine or excercise, once your fully awake your awake, good luck.

[Gandhi]

Karen4u

My solution may sound different and harsh but it is sure to succeed

Tell your self u would do 1000 - 2000 steps before u sleep again 

Believe me it will work 

[GoldaT]

@karen4u2001:  I have the same problem even without kids; dogs instead.  I've read the suggestions and am grateful that you wrote in because the suggestions are worthy of trying out; I'm going to try them too.  I wish us both lots of luck.  I think you and I can do it.  GoldaT.

[DanicaW]

See if there's a TV show you like that's on at that time and do strength moves while watching it. I've recently gotten into doing squats in the place of the housewide pacing I usually do when bored. My buns will thank me soon!