Seven nights ago I downloaded Sleep Cycle for iPhone, here's how it went during a rather hectic week of my life...
Not my AirBnB source
Last week I read an interesting post by @soyrosa relating to sleep chronotypes (yeah i'd never heard of them either) and on taking the quiz (kinda spammy looking page so feel free to just google and read up), I was diagnosed a 'dolphin'. Steem dolphin and sleep dolphin, alright. Here are the four chronotypes, you can probably guess yours just by reading the description.
source
So basically, dolphins are:
- shit at sleeping
- intelligent and neurotic insomniacs
- sleeping with only half a brain (err..)
- perfectionists
- better with a high protein breakfast
I sort of knew this, but knowing it's a thing does provide an element of peace, and some areas to focus on. I found the idea routines for each type:
source
You’ve no doubt heard that we all have an internal body clock that instinctively prompts us to, say, go to bed or eat our next meal. But did you know there’s actually an ideal time to do just about everything in life, from working out to winning an argument source
I've met and had relationships with lions who sleep like the dead and find any time is a good time for an argument.
Anyway, in the comments of @soyrosa's post, I found a mention for the Sleep Cycle application (cheers @revisesociology, I think!), and armed with my new found knowledge that I am an unhinged, shit at sleeping dolphin, I decided to give the app. a go for a week.
Here are my results along with some background info / mitigating factors.
- Wake-up alarm set between 8:30-9
- First night using the application
- Woke up for a pee after 2 hours, slept pretty well until just before 8 (before alarm).
- Pissed about on the phone (Steem) for an hour, had something to eat, went back to bed with changed wake-up time
- Wake-up alarm set between 7:30-8
- Woke up for a pee after two hours
- Woke up for a pee after two more hours
- Deepest sleep 6:30 am, woke up during alarm zone and switched it off at 8
- Went to bed before midnight(!) and set wake-up alarm for 6-6:30
- Woke up for a pee after two hours or so
- Slept until alarm / moved and alarm woke me up
This was the day over my move to Valencia and I needed to be up early. It was also the only day I went to bed before midnight, and probably my best nights sleep...
- First night in Valencia
- Wake up alarm set for 7:30 - 8
- Noisy outside, noisy building, used earplugs
- Slept for a 5 hours straight and then woke up for a pee
- Slept until alarm / moved and alarm woke me up
- Watched the Manchester United game, and had beer
- Wake up alarm set for 8:30 - 9
- Passed out for 4 hours, went for a pee (probably didn't shut the door)
- Woke up at 5:30 (doh!), pissed about on the phone without turning Sleep Cycle off
- Nodded off and Sleep Cycle woke up me up
- Turned Sleep Cycle off and woke up around midday
- Wake up alarm set for 7:30 - 8
- Woke up for pee after 4 hours
- Slept until alarm / moved and alarm woke me up
- Had a mid-afternoon snooze
- Wake up alarm set for 7:30 - 8
- Just about fell asleep and got woken up by something, pissed about on phone for 45 mins (Steem)
- Slept (badly I thought) until 6:45
- Switched Sleep Cycle off just before 8
I like this app, even though i think 'sleep quality' as a percentage is totally off. Its also got me wondering if the 0 snore-time for a whole week is true, even though I've not had any complaints before.
About my sleeping habits
- Inconsistent times to bed - not good for dolphins
- Afternoon snoozes - not good for dolphins
- Beer - not good for dolphins
- Any drinks an hour or so before bed - not good for dolphins
- Bed around, or before midnight - good for dolphins!
Easily my best nights sleep was before the 'biggest' day of the week in which I purposely went to bed much earlier than the average. Awake for a pee after the first circadian cycle, but still before 2 am, I will happily take if I can then go back to sleep for a 6:30 wake-up. I think my worse night sleep was last night - late to bed, things on my mind, and awake far too early and feeling super tired today.
I had planned to be getting up at around 6 am each day in light of the new job, and this was one of the reasons for installing the application.
Sadly, the job is officially 'on hold' due to budget and potential departmental changes - what a total bummer.
I'm now thinking, should I go straight to the UK, or back to Mallorca? There is a possibility of this role becoming live again, but also probably more chance of finding something in the UK if I am actually based there.....
I'll need to decide pretty sharpish, maybe a dpoll will help :)
Is anyone else using this application?
Stick some screenshots in the comments if you are!
Cheers
Asher