Sleep cycle



Ya'll, I gotta tell you. I'm addicted to apps. Every time someone talks about a new app, I immediately download it. And like I have said a hundred times, I'll buy anything for less than a buck! So of course when one of my friends told me about Sleep Cycle I knew I had to have it. 

Basically you set an alarm, but the app determines the best time to wake you up in a 30 minute range. Then, upon waking it shows you this handy dandy chart to see exactly how you are sleeping.

I happened to capture this screenshot after a night when I got in a fight with and then resolved said fight with my best friend, hence the 2am bedtime. What can I say, late night fights are my M.O.

But seriously, I knew I got pretty crap sleep due to said argument, but having this little graph to show me just exactly how terrible Wednesday was going to be was awesome. What I really like is that I can compare, I can see how adjusting my bedtime routines affects my sleep, etc.

Have you seen this app? Do you use it? Please tell me I'm not alone in my "will buy anything less than a dollar" habit...



How To Fight the Afternoon Blues

In case you were unaware, it's Thursday. It's approximately 2pm and I could fall asleep with my eyes open it feels like. I have been staying up way too late this week between basketball games (I am obligated to say Go Heat!) & a coworker's last night in town, and today I am paying for it dearly. I am generally pretty good at keeping myself awake when the afternoon sleepies hit and I thought I'd share some of the ways I manage that with you guys. Despite my recent discovery of a delicious coffee concoction, I really make efforts to stay away from caffeine & soda. Honestly, it really messes with me! So here are my "au natural" ways to not fall asleep at your desk get through the afternoon.

1. Get up and walk around! This is probably my #1 go to cure. A lap around the office can work wonders, and extra bonus if you make a new friend in the office or combine it with a "work" conversation!

2. Grab a glass of water. It requires me to move away from my desk and then when I sit back down I have something to do (duh, drink the water).

3. Turn on some music! I have an iPod docking station at my desk and I'm lucky enough to typically have my office to myself, so I can play my music as loud as I want. Even when my officemate is here, we have the same taste in music so we have sing alongs! Even if you are working in cramped quarters or in cubes, you can still rock out with your headphones! (Don't forget to be mindful of your coworkers though!)

4. Do a brain dump. Getting everything on your probably endless to-do list down on paper will make your afternoon seem less daunting and more manageable, and will probably help you increase productivity and the more productive you are, the less tired you are!

5. Mentally check out for a minute! Check your Twitter feed, read CNN.com, write an email to a friend, catch up on your favorite blogs...whatever you enjoy, take 5 and do that (as long as company policy allows!)

I wish I could come up with more, but I'm fresh out of ideas. What do you do to rejuvenate in the middle of the afternoon?

#7: I almost ALWAYS fall asleep during movies, tv shows, and plays.

In fact, my last boyfriend eventually refused to take me on dates to the movies because he considered it a waste of money. When we were in Florida, he tried to convince his dad to drop me off at home before going to see The Simpsons Movie because we both knew that was a double waste of money.

I turn the TV on so I can fall asleep. Even if it's my favorite TV show... there is no stopping me. I really don't mean to fall asleep, and most times when I do I really didn't want to. In fact, for a long time I was not allowed to choose the "goodnight" television show because everyone knew that within the first 5 minutes I would be sound asleep, and whoever was watching would be stuck watching the other 55 minutes. Well, first I was limited to 30 minute shows, then banned from choosing altogether.

The best place I have fallen asleep? The iMAX theater at Fernbank Museum. Yep, I took Grace & Wyatt to see the dinosaurs and all the exhibits, and first I thing I do when I sit down in the comfy chairs in the Fernbank? zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz. The munchkins woke me up for the cool parts. They rock.

Also, I am pretty sure this "habit" stems from my father, surprise surprise (but that is another post for another day...)