Sleep/Energy Cycles

Updated 20210101

This is how I sometimes gauge how much energy I have available, and if I need to sleep more or can sleep less.

Energy Cycles

Generally, there are four distinct phases:

1. Up-cycle: In the up-cycle, I want to stay up and do things at night. More writing is done, more reading, more work in general. Bedtime is put off, due to feeling energized and motivated. During the day, feelings of confidence and sociability are stronger than normal. In the mornings, waking from sleep and rising is very easy and almost exciting.
2. Down-transition: In the transition to the down-cycle, I sleep less. At night, there's a lot of whirling thoughts, some anxiety. At all times, it's easier to slip into a negative and cynical mindset. It's harder to summon gratitude and joy for things.
3. Down-cycle: Too much sleep. Many, and strong, urges throughout the day to sleep. Sleeping in too long, napping for 1.5 hours or more during the day. Staying up too late, indulging in vices like junk food, compulsively engaging in others like gaming or reading wish fulfillment stories.
4. Up-transition: Sleeping well again, begin exercising again, energy during the day returns.

Moving between them is simple, if not always easy. To transition down and stay down, sleep less, be antisocial, eat junk, don't exercise, let responsibilities and obligations pile up and loom, and let that pattern perpetuate itself. On the brighter side, the same applies to rising and staying up: invert virtually every one of those, if possible. Add in some light meditation, seeing sun, some creative expression (like making this simple website).

Sleep

Coincidentally enough, these can be broken into four categories as well:

1. Near-total lack of sleep: Sleeping and waking feels more like blinking. Upon waking, feeling refreshed and energetic. The new day feels more like an extension of the previous day. Energy until late morning to mid-afternoon, leading to a hard crash and overwhelming tiredness.
2. Lack of sleep: The previous night feels somewhat like a nap. No dreams, and remaining groggy upon waking. Grogginess slowly goes away throughout the afternoon, and returns extremely strong in the evening. Liable to doze off during the day.
3. Over-sleeping: Extremely vivid dreams, and a sense of grogginess that persists throughout the day. Feeling lazy and unmotivated throughout the day as well, accompanied by a slight headache or foggy mind.
4. Suitable amount of sleep: Vivid dreams that can be recalled upon waking, but that seem to slip away after an hour or two. Grogginess, if any, also vanishes after an hour or two. Sustained energy throughout the day.