Associating Objects (Neuro-Linguistic Programming Anchoring) and sleep

[Chris Beeby]

Certain objects in one's day-to-day life tend to cause certain emotions: a wedding ring, comfort food, television, etc. My bed, as of the past few months, has been associated with ONLY sleep in an effort to get higher quality sleep as well as fall asleep faster.

I have literally not stepped onto my bed a single time other than to sleep, but lately I have been having trouble with my sleep schedule. It comes time to wake up at 8am for my 9am class, and I cannot get the motivation to wake. I feel overtrained, am dieting, and am also set to a lavish sleep schedule, and I can't seem to get back on track.

I am interested in any tips such as going to bed earlier, caffeine to help reset, but what I am wondering is: If I begin to try and go to sleep earlier by turning out the lights and watching television in bed, will I begin to associate my bed with relaxing as opposed to sleep, or will the strong anchor cause me to fall asleep quickly, as normal?

Factors I would imagine included are:
-How strong the anchor is
-How comfortable the bedding is (VERY)/mattress quality (PERFECT)
-How tired I am
-Time

 

[minimagpro]

I don't think think it makes a difference. You get tired when your body needs sleep, doesn't matter where you are.

 

[scottm]

I don't think think it makes a difference. You get tired when your body needs sleep, doesn't matter where you are.

Couldn't be further from the truth.




TS - There have been quite a few threads that are relevant to what you are looking for, here are a few of the better ones you should check out:

http://www.sherdog.net/forums/f15/sleep-quality-932733/

http://www.sherdog.net/forums/f15/my-sleep-getting-messed-up-1152428/

http://www.sherdog.net/forums/f15/trying-get-off-tylenol-pm-anyone-try-scivations-knockout-1057382/

http://www.sherdog.net/forums/f15/problems-falling-asleep-after-long-training-session-food-1338123/

http://www.sherdog.net/forums/f15/trouble-getting-quality-sleep-1348229/

 

[Chris Beeby]

This is all good stuff, and I've read most. I'm just wondering if I will begin to associate my bed with relaxation instead of sleep as opposed to just knocking out because I currently associate my bed with sleep.

 

[uzbekistanian]

One ephedrine pill does wonders for my motivation in the morning. It's like 20mg of motivation.

For me the problem is that my bed is so damn warm and cozy and the room is so dark, uninviting and cold, that five more minutes in bed have more value than anything at that moment. Ephedrine warms me up and gets me going without having to battle with myself. And the ironic thing is that it actually saves me stress because I don't ever have to hurry not to be late.

 

[scottm]

This is all good stuff, and I've read most. I'm just wondering if I will begin to associate my bed with relaxation instead of sleep as opposed to just knocking out because I currently associate my bed with sleep.

Ah yeah. Most likely. Most studies and recommendations I've read refer to not staying in bed awake for more than 5-10 minutes. Even though you feel like you are relaxing with the TV on you are stimulating your mind more than you think. Use the bed for sleep and going balls deep.

For me the biggest set back with sleep is that I train at night after work, and the endorphins are still flowing when I want to go to bed.

 

[cheath]

Bedroom is for two things: sleep, sex. Don't be hanging out in there, or yes, you'll start to lose the cues associated with falling asleep. You don't need to avoid it like the plague, I mean, you can fold laundry in there or whatever. But I used to dim my living room lights at 10:15, watch Jay Leno, then head to bed at 10:50 or so and knock out. I had to establish a whole routine for going to bed because my sleep stunk because I wouldn't fall asleep when I went to bed. Having cable in there didn't help, so I got rid of it, and quit reading or hanging out in there.

Provide cues that tells your circadian rhythm it's night night time. Yes sleep occurs in a context (going to bed at 8pm probably won't work, you need to be "ready" for bed, etc.), but having a routine is a great facilitator.

A clinical psychologist is telling you this (well, doctoral student), and it's just behavioral training for sleep difficulties. Good luck.

 

[Chris Beeby]

One ephedrine pill does wonders for my motivation in the morning. It's like 20mg of motivation.

For me the problem is that my bed is so damn warm and cozy and the room is so dark, uninviting and cold, that five more minutes in bed have more value than anything at that moment. Ephedrine warms me up and gets me going without having to battle with myself. And the ironic thing is that it actually saves me stress because I don't ever have to hurry not to be late.

Any risk of dependancy? What is the half-life in the body? If you have a good link, I'll take it.

 

[Chris Beeby]

Provide cues that tells your circadian rhythm it's night night time. Yes sleep occurs in a context (going to bed at 8pm probably won't work, you need to be "ready" for bed, etc.), but having a routine is a great facilitator.

A clinical psychologist is telling you this (well, doctoral student), and it's just behavioral training for sleep difficulties. Good luck.

I have a bedtime ritual too, bit more extensive, though.

Unfortunately my bedroom IS my area (it's kind of like a downstairs unit in the house I've lived in my whole life). Do you think having a privacy curtain/partition would make a difference?

 

[Cooz]

Ah yeah. Most likely. Most studies and recommendations I've read refer to not staying in bed awake for more than 5-10 minutes. Even though you feel like you are relaxing with the TV on you are stimulating your mind more than you think. Use the bed for sleep and going balls deep.

For me the biggest set back with sleep is that I train at night after work, and the endorphins are still flowing when I want to go to bed.

I forget where I read this (just recently too), but the glare of the television and other electronic devices directly affect your melatonin production making it more difficult to sleep.

Oddly enough, the Kindle's (Amazon book reader) screen is made in a way that it does not do that.

 

[Cooz]

Granted it's on msnbc and it focuses on the Ipad, but it's along the lines of the article I read.

Visit the link for the full article:

iPad could cause insomnia, researchers say - Technology & science - Tech and gadgets - msnbc.com

The bright light emitted by an iPad could give some people reading before bedtime a bout of insomnia, researchers suggest.
This is because the iPad uses a back-lit display rather than the "e-paper" found in other popular e-readers such as the Kindle that mimic the printed, duller page by reflecting light from elsewhere.

"If you're using a Kindle

 

[scottm]

I forget where I read this (just recently too), but the glare of the television and other electronic devices directly affect your melatonin production making it more difficult to sleep.

Oddly enough, the Kindle's (Amazon book reader) screen is made in a way that it does not do that.

Correct. I believe it is the blue spectrum that makes your brain think it is still sunlight which would lower the melatonin level.

 

[uzbekistanian]

Any risk of dependancy? What is the half-life in the body? If you have a good link, I'll take it.

You stop feeling it after 20 minutes. I don't think it's addictive. It's basically adrenaline. People take 2.5 pills with caffeine 4 times a day to lose fat.

I had to take 2 today to drag my ass out of bed after 4 hours of (interrupted) sleep.

 

[cheath]

Do you think having a privacy curtain/partition would make a difference?

I definitely think it would help. For example, I almost moved into a place that would've put an office desk/work station in a recessed area of the bedroom. My first thought on seeing the place is that I would used a curtain rod to wall off that little area, and I actually would've either hung up a lot of shit on the walls, or painted the little section back there a different color. I also would've given it dedicated lighting. Basically made all efforts to tell my body "this area of work is environmentally different than the rest of this room, which is for sleeping, not hanging out in."

So yeah, I say partition off what you can, be it the living area of the sleeping area to try and make it like a bedroom.

 

[Chris Beeby]

I definitely think it would help. For example, I almost moved into a place that would've put an office desk/work station in a recessed area of the bedroom. My first thought on seeing the place is that I would used a curtain rod to wall off that little area, and I actually would've either hung up a lot of shit on the walls, or painted the little section back there a different color. I also would've given it dedicated lighting. Basically made all efforts to tell my body "this area of work is environmentally different than the rest of this room, which is for sleeping, not hanging out in."

So yeah, I say partition off what you can, be it the living area of the sleeping area to try and make it like a bedroom.

Okay. You've been super helpful but I have to ask just ONE more question. Any ideas on partitions that dont get in the way and are non-threatening? When I have new girls over, I usually tell them to sit on my bed, bragging about how comfortable it is, but with something in the way, they would surely feel more sexually intimidated. The goal is to make them comfortable on the bed knowing nothing will happen, so they feel the same way later when something does.

Use your grad-school edumacation on that!

 

[redjako]

This is all good stuff, and I've read most. I'm just wondering if I will begin to associate my bed with relaxation instead of sleep as opposed to just knocking out because I currently associate my bed with sleep.

Why is sleep a stressor? Are you stressed out from thinking about "tomorrow" and the bullshit you have to deal with?

I fail (for the argument of the thread) to see how you are not equating relaxation with restful sleep.


As an aside, your mind can create whatever situation you desire, so what actually changed between ideal sleep time and non-ideal frustrating sleep time, in this current period of your life?

 

[cheath]

Okay. You've been super helpful but I have to ask just ONE more question. Any ideas on partitions that dont get in the way and are non-threatening? When I have new girls over, I usually tell them to sit on my bed, bragging about how comfortable it is, but with something in the way, they would surely feel more sexually intimidated. The goal is to make them comfortable on the bed knowing nothing will happen, so they feel the same way later when something does.

Don't partition the bed, partition the small work area that's in another corner of the room. Partitioning the bed will make you feel like you're sleeping in a closet. Partitioning a work area could create a sense of a small cubicle, as it has it's own colored walls, own lighting, etc.

 

[Loomy]

do all your preparation for bed hours before, and do other stuff away from bed. as soon as you get an inkling of tiredness, go to sleep

you cant fail if you go to sleep when you're tired

but resist the urge and you'll be up for a while

 

[JSN]

neuro linguistic programming is the new psychoanalysis.

 

[Chris Beeby]

Why is sleep a stressor? Are you stressed out from thinking about "tomorrow" and the bullshit you have to deal with?

I fail (for the argument of the thread) to see how you are not equating relaxation with restful sleep.


As an aside, your mind can create whatever situation you desire, so what actually changed between ideal sleep time and non-ideal frustrating sleep time, in this current period of your life?

I was worried about my first amateur fight. I picked up an awesome sleep aid by Nature Made with L-theanine, Melatonin, Chamomile Flower extract, Passion Flower extract and Lemon Balm Leaf extract, as well as the sleep aid in tylenol PM, and have been taking zinc and magnesium again. I slept like a baby up until the fight, tonight is the first unaided night of sleep in a while. Well see how it goes.

As for not equating relaxation with restful sleep, I feel like if I take a while winding down I feel less pressure to fall asleep, but studies have proved that using your bed to relax actually takes away from sleep quality.