Are you a night owl or a morning person? How has your military service affected your sleep cycle and how do you cope?

2017-02-07T09:18:14-05:00

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Response by SFC George Smith made Feb 7 at 2017 9:24 AM

2017-02-07T09:24:26-05:00

it depends on the activities... and that has to be done the next day...

Response by LCpl Jeremy Betty made Feb 7 at 2017 9:42 AM

2017-02-07T09:42:07-05:00

I was mostly excited for my discharge so that I could work on my emotional state. Throughout my career I hardly ever slept and when I did Marines that know me will tell you it was in the strangest of circumstances. Though it took some focus and training, my sleep is almost normal.

Response by SSgt Terry P. made Feb 7 at 2017 9:42 AM

2017-02-07T09:42:15-05:00

Erin Fleming I would not be very helpful.I am neither a morning person or a night-owl,i sleep odd hours and very few at that(2-3 hours out of 24)maybe,and have done this since i was in my early 20's.

Response by PO2 Robert M. made Feb 7 at 2017 10:00 AM

2017-02-07T10:00:03-05:00

doing 2 - 2 - 2 - 80, you adapted!
( two day watches, two mid watch and two night watches, then 80 hours off )
It was hell on "family life", but we all survived it!

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 7 at 2017 11:11 AM

2017-02-07T11:11:27-05:00

I'm the first one up in the morning and can be the last one up at night if I want to. I'm also so relaxed that I can fall asleep at any time during the day. So I have no difficulties, but I prefer nighttime.

Response by PO1 Brian Austin made Feb 7 at 2017 5:31 PM

2017-02-07T17:31:34-05:00

Neither or both i guess. I usually sleep 4-5 hours a night, usually automatically wake up right around 0600. If i sleep longer i feel like i'm wasting the day. However, i do have to the ability to snatch a "cat nap", literally anytime, anyplace if i'm bored and/or waiting.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 7 at 2017 7:44 PM

2017-02-07T19:44:11-05:00

As a former infantryman, I have no sleep cycle! Three days awake and then four hours and ready to go!!!

Response by SGM Mikel Dawson made Feb 7 at 2017 8:02 PM

2017-02-07T20:02:20-05:00

Always been an early riser. When I sleep at night I get up early. When I can't sleep at night I still get up early. Been so long since I had a full night's sleep. Some day!!

Response by GySgt Melissa Gravila made Feb 7 at 2017 9:11 PM

2017-02-07T21:11:11-05:00

Being a chef for over 30 years, I've worked swing shifts, plus with PTSD/MST, and sleep apnea what the HELL is sleep??? Even with meds I'm calling it a great night to get 4 hours, and the cpap machines don't work, I knock it off (very uncomfortable). So when I'm off, I take cat naps during the day- when I'm working I try not to over tire myself. (LOL)

Response by PO1 William "Chip" Nagel made Feb 7 at 2017 9:13 PM

2017-02-07T21:13:23-05:00

"I know not of what You Speak" *SARCASM MUCH* 21 years working in SCIFs all shifts. working as a Flex Officer for 20 Years, I have No Idea what it is like to work 9-5, Normal Working Peoples Hours.

Response by Col Rebecca Lorraine made Feb 7 at 2017 9:36 PM

2017-02-07T21:36:44-05:00

Sleep! What's that? It is that thing that happens at 2 in the afternoon and from 12-5 AM. I toss and turn. I had a sleep study and I'm fine. I woke up three or four times during the study but there is no sleep apnea. Some of us just have difficulty with sleep and it dies affect mood, energy, and other health issues. I've tried every medication, but it is what it is. At least I'm retired so I don't have to function 100% every day.

Response by SP5 Robert Ruck made Feb 7 at 2017 10:51 PM

2017-02-07T22:51:53-05:00

Definitely a night owl. I love reading until the wee hours and now I have RP to keep me awake too. I guess I'm afraid I might miss something if I go to sleep. Mid day naps don't help the sleep cycle either.

Response by SMSgt Lawrence McCarter made Feb 8 at 2017 1:31 AM

2017-02-08T01:31:49-05:00

I'm a night owl, hate getting up in the morning unless I have a specific reason to do so. I've worked shifts a good part of My adult life so can sleep just about any time. I can go without much sleep for a while then sleep a bunch and as I put it put a sleep reserve in the bank, then go straight out again. When I do sleep its pretty soundly, nothing much bothers Me.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 8 at 2017 2:10 AM

2017-02-08T02:10:12-05:00

Erin Fleming I am a night owl. However, the military has me getting up early and staying up late so no sleep. Or I end up trying to go to bed hours before everyone else so I can actually get some sleep before an early morning.

Response by SFC Dennis A. made Feb 8 at 2017 9:09 AM

2017-02-08T09:09:15-05:00

In my youth I was both, now I am a morning person. I'm normally in bed by 9-9:30, I get a few hours of good sleep and usually start waking up at least once an hour until about 5:AM. At that point I have to get up and start moving.

Response by PO1 Dallas Shewmaker made Feb 10 at 2017 2:28 PM

2017-02-10T14:28:36-05:00

I've become resistant to early mornings... not because of the military, but in spite of it. If given the choice, I prefer mid-morning (say around 0800) to rise and shine. That's only because for many years, I didn't have the choice. With 0700 morning muster/formation every day for so many years, I've grown a bit rebellious to "having to" wake up any earlier. That being said, I usually have no problem waking up early when I have to. If there's any one thing that the military taught me was the importance of time management.

I will say that my sleeping habits have been affected by my military service. I'm a very light sleeper now. In order for me to go to sleep immediately, I have to have the room dark and quiet. Any kind of voices will instantly wake me up during my sleep. This is why I cannot have the television or radio on while I sleep. Certain ambient noises I can deal with (the A/C, fan, furnace, etc.) but make no mistake, if there's a change in the sound (such as it turning off)... I notice.

The other thing that has affected me is that I immediately wake up at any alarm. By awake, I mean that once I reset the alarm, I am wide eyed and bushy tailed ready to go. This bothers my wife who is able to set her snooze button several times prior to actually rising out of bed.