I won a 7-year lack of sleep and became an early riser

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The clock - two nights. I'm falling in exhaustion on the sofa. How was - in a sweater, jeans and street with a dirty head, absorbed the smell of library books and training sweat. I cut with a naive dream that tomorrow will come in a couple of days.

At six in the morning triggered an alarm. With a groan, I roll off the couch. After a shower, a person acquires a meaningful expression, and oatmeal with hot sandwiches brings me back to life. Books - in a backpack, a backpack - shoulder. Fly out of the house, catch the bus leaving - and after a few minutes of a meal in a crowded subway. Hello, a new day!

"Normally? Double "- a familiar barista smiles sympathetically. I nod. While he prepares coffee, catch the reflection in the mirror. Kind of seedy. Moisten your finger with saliva, wash cheek touches of a ballpoint pen, the survivors after the morning shower. Miniature cup dried volley. I rush to study.

sleepless youth

Welcome to my reality, seven years ago. I'm 20 and I have just returned home after a six-month internship in South Korea. I am a fourth year at the Literary Institute Gorky, working as a teacher at English language, Doing sports five times a week. Time to spare, so I go to two in the morning, get up at six in the morning and can not imagine life without a loading dose of caffeine.

The sad story of sleepless nights began in high school. I am ready to pass the FCE - Cambridge exam to receive a certificate of proficiency in the English language. It was my first serious test, and I tremble at the knees afraid of failure. Pets even found me sleeping under the kitchen battery in an embrace with textbooks. Mother and grandmother seriously worried and hoped that my nocturnal vigils will soon be over. It turned out everything is just beginning.

Preparatory courses, final exams in high school, to college entrance. And then - dashing students youth lectures, test, and training sessions abroad. Since the beginning of the dream of working days and it does become a luxury. I pursued the same figures: a retreat in an hour or two in the morning, rise at six in the morning.

The disease, which made sleep

I was young: I work from morning till night, engaged in three sports and sincerely believed sleep a waste of time. Until then, until picked up an intestinal infection in January 2015.

Country walks, and I was lying in bed. Stomach twisted, as the body was not mine. For each cell overflowed paralyzing weakness. I could not even move my fingers. A week ago, I was running like zavedonnaya and now lay formation. On the question could not have been forced to cancel lessons and refuse transfers. I ate oatmeal liquid, drinking water And they have gathered over the past seven years. The whole two weeks I slept for 10, 11, even 12 hours a day - and it was perfect.

Lamp against melatonin

Many centuries we have honored the laws of nature, and did not know sorrow. Wake up with the sunrise, we fell asleep after sunset. At the end of the XIX century Thomas Edison's light bulb turned the world upside down. There were nightly entertainment, convenience stores and work in two shifts. Life has changed, but our biorhythms - no. The retina receives any bright light like the sun, and the body sends us signals not sleep. Delayed cleaning and repair cells, produces less sleep hormone melatonin. The longer we go, the less time spent in deep sleep phase. That it goes active recovery. At stake - our performance, health, and emotional balance.

The reward for a healthy sleep

In the "Three comrades" Remarque wrote: "The only unfortunate knows what is happiness." I'm not used to sleep, it is akin to a constant fatigue. The disease has opened my eyes. It turned out, we can not live on 40% of energy, and by 100%. How? Very simple! Stay up to 11 and sleep at least seven hours. That's what I had to become a morning person.

Energy

Having recovered, I began to wake up at dawn. Jerk threw off the covers and jumped out of bed: finally a new day! From morning weakness was gone. I was like drugged forces!

Productivity

Work was burning in the hands, I translate and edit text faster, easier and more accurate.

emotional balance

I do not take it out on others, did not respond to stimuli, became calm and patient. Mood swings and flashes wrath thing of the past.

Concentration

I do not forget where I put things and where I leave the phone. At times it is easier to keep attention and not be distracted by extraneous things.

Health

I got stronger, stronger and sturdier. Cross-country training, I threw whole minutes with distances, and climbing gym passed route, which previously was afraid to even look.

the beauty

Gone are the bruises under his eyes, lined skin, smoothed wrinkles on the forehead. On the cheeks appeared healthy glow.

6 tips for healthy sleep

For those who want to fall asleep quickly and soundly. Check for yourself!

1. Let the air

Sleep in a well ventilated area much nicer. In the evening I always open the window to the room came the fresh air. A couple of years ago, my mother gave me a warm blanket, and since then I sleep with the window open in both summer and winter.

2. Before going to sleep, stay away from the screens

Whether it's TV, laptop or smartphone, bright display light stimulates the brain and suppresses the production of the sleep hormone. Sitting up late at the computer, every time I noticed that I difficulty falling asleep. So life was back reading paper books in the evening - a habit that helps to distract from daily worries and relax before bedtime. Down screens, long live the book!

3. Sleep, and do not digest

Not for nothing wise to say: "Eat breakfast myself, share dinner with a friend, dinner and leave the enemy." I try to eat 3-4 hours before bedtime, and choose foods not rich in protein and fat. Unlike carbohydrates, they are digested for a long time, and the digestive system remains in a few hours after bedtime. Often my dinner plate consists of stewed vegetables and salad. This is enough to not be hungry until morning.

4. exercise

To sleep better, increase physical activity. When the body is tired, the brain shuts down much faster. Just do not overdo, or for recovery will need more sleep time. Suffice it to 2-3 workouts per week.

5. Praise yourself for passing day

Life is transformed when we love and respect ourselves. During the day, we successfully cope with dozens of tasks, and this is a great occasion to say: "Today I have done!" Before going to bed I took it a rule to let go of disturbing thoughts and praise yourself for passing day. When nothing worries me, sleep is deep and calm.

6. Dedicate morning hobbies

The main advice I saved up last. To wake up easily and with pleasure, every morning do what you love. Once, lying in bed, I thought dreamily, "would Brew is now a favorite herbal tea, read a book, write in the diary ..." Then it dawned on me. If and to start the day?

The next morning I woke up at dawn and stormed out of the bed. The nostrils are tickled by the aroma is not brewed tea, but the hands are itching to write. The world slept. These 1.5 hours belong only to me, and I felt like the happiest lark in the world.

Since then, four years have passed. I changed the graphics of the city and work. But no matter how busy life is, I always find time for restful sleep and a quiet morning. I wake up, drink a glass of water, do exercises for half an hour I write in the diary. And then another hour of the Korean language or read. Do not include the Internet, I do not walk into a social network. I enjoy the morning quiet and do what I love most.

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When was the last time you felt 100% charged? When would you like to as soon as possible a new day? When you wake up with a smile on your face? A long time ago there was no such? And I did not, until I evolved from an owl in a lark. I wanted to be happy, healthy and productive. I want my brain works like a clock, but the body did not know fatigue.

I managed. It is up to you!