Insomniac or bad sleep habits

solo · 26 Sept 2009, 08:42

Being freelance I get the privilege of working with many clients in many countries, the problem is it comes with many different time zones and being the contractor I must make myself available to my clients convenience. This really screws with ones internal clock if such meetings be them even brief happens at 4am your time, it still means you need to get yourself ready for the online meeting at least 30 minutes before hand, make sure you have all the necessary documents, models, swatches, your notes, images, etc ready and then once the meeting is done one cannot just slip back in bed as your mind is racing with new ideas, info that needs processing etc.

It's 3:36 am right now and I'm as awake as a spooked owl, while my whole family is in deep sleep, here I am pseudo blogging about my sleep dilemma.

My point here is to firstly gauge if I'm alone in this and if there are more in a similar situation, how do you handle it, is there any neat tricks without using medicating sleep aids, and maybe a few humorous anecdotes.

pilou · 26 Sept 2009, 08:59

Put some musics with solid rythms like old jazz :
Try Bix Beiderbecke

I believe insomny is genetic some people can't have that others yes
Advantage of this default you can surf on more sites and look some more crazzy programs

PS Of course I am insomniac too

kwistenbiebel · 26 Sept 2009, 09:28

Hi Pete,

I am not in the same boat, but it often happens to me that I see myself working till the early hours. sometimes because something needs to be finished, sometimes just because I want to chew on an idea.
Not a good habit though, but it can get things done.

What I noticed is that going in the sun during the daytime helps to match your biorythm to the day cycle.
It is the same thing doctors prescribe for a jetlag. Get your daily dose of sunlight and your body will regulate your bio clock better.

Sleep deprivation remains very unhealthy though. Best advice would be to set up meetings that correspond to day time hours for both parties I guess...
I can imagine this should be possible, wherever you are on this globe.

Being in Australia, I for instance can skype with a friend in the States (she in the morning, me in the evening), and skyping with my parents in Europe is just a small 6 hours difference which is very well manageable.
I am sure your clients would understand the need to match daytime (or evening ) hours. If they aren't prepared to that, they aren't good partners/clients to work for any way imo. You're not a slave you know.

Good luck.

Mike Lucey · 26 Sept 2009, 11:23

Chris is right in what he says. If you advise the times you are available most reasonable clients / customers will work within those periods. You would be surprised at how many people have no idea of time zones, even business people.

Here is a program, Time Zone Helper that could be adjusted, printed and forwarded to a client showing your slots, Time Zone Helper
http://www.exefind.com/time-zone-helper-P17180.html

Also a useful online World Time Zone Check, World Cities, http://www.timezonecheck.com/

The body needs a certain amount of sunshine to stay in condition so if you are going to keep bad hours you had better keep and eye on your health.

Mike

Mike Lucey · 26 Sept 2009, 12:19

Yeah, stay WELL AWAY from tablets! A night cap might not be a bad idea? It's an old cure but not suggested much these days. Here is a link, 'How to make a Night Cap' http://www.ehow.com/how_2685_make-papaya-creamsicle.html Sounds nice! Maybe make a half gallon of the stuff (if you like it) and hold it in the fridge, marked with a BIG SIGN saying, HANDS OFF. PETE"S NIGHT CAP For medicinal purposes ONLY (in small print) Hey Pete! I can actually imagine you gulping down a glass of the mixture

Stinkie · 26 Sept 2009, 12:29

I've been an insomniac for years. What works for me, is taking late-night strolls whilst listening to good music. Helps to get rid of mental cobwebs, if you know what I mean. Stops the mind from racing.

Gaieus · 26 Sept 2009, 12:42

Drink a couple of beers. No hard liquor or anything else but beer. Makes you nicely sleepy.

solo · 26 Sept 2009, 13:13

Thanks for y'all responses guys.

I'm definitely going to try the hour of sunlight thing, sounds like a good and logical plan.
As for the alcohol thing, I'm probably going to skip that as we have a no drink in home policy (It's okay to get ripped at a pub )

I tried watching PBS world (public broadcasting) which at those hours has pretty boring programming, however I ended up being totally engaged and now I know the biography's of Cezanne, Monet, Manet, Goya, Impressionism, expressionism, cubism, the history of the Medici's, all about brain elasticity, coral reefs, volcano's...etc.

Rich O Brien · 26 Sept 2009, 15:21

Hi Pete, I'm a bit of a nightowl too but it's not down to clients but mainly doodling gets outta hand. But when I find it hard to hit the hay I 'brain train' on my missus' DS and before I know it ......Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

if that fails I resort to Gaeius' remedy

Guinness x2 does the trick everytime( to Arthur!!!!)

Ecuadorian · 26 Sept 2009, 17:16

I once read that waking up every day at exactly the same hour, even during weekends, helps regulate sleep. And when I have followed that advice, it indeed works.

EarthMover · 26 Sept 2009, 17:33

@unknownuser said:

I 'brain train' on my missus' DS and before I know it ......Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

I'm afraid to ask........

Ecuadorian · 26 Sept 2009, 17:43

DS = Nintendo DS handheld game system
"Brain Train" = Play Brain Age for Nintendo DS
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4YyV6s2B-fo
Game systems are no longer just for kid's games, the DS even has full-blown Japanese dictionaries and other useful software.

EarthMover · 26 Sept 2009, 18:03

Thanks Miguel...and to think of all the dirty places my mind was going.

Rich O Brien · 26 Sept 2009, 18:25

Now I know why you call yourself 'EarthMover'