how do you sustain energy levels when you wake up early

[Hunting183]

Electrolytes really help me! They seem to keep me going and give me a second wind

 

[B_Reynolds_AK]

Cocaine

 

[brancher147]

I have a similar schedule and 2 young kids when I get home. I try to eat healthy, no bread, no sugar, no processed foods. I do have half caff coffee in the morning but no energy drinks ever. Stay hydrated. As others have said shorter naps are better for me if I have to have one but I very rarely take one.

 

[Fatcamp]

Sleep hygiene. Research it and see if you are actually getting any sleep.

As a nurse I and my coworkers struggle with sleep due to stress and changing schedules. Once I started taking it seriously I noticed a dramatic change. It's easy to get off a pattern though. I'm pretty wasted right now but I've been sick for weeks.

 

[Wprinkle]

Have you had you T levels tested?

 

[Poser]

I get up at 4 every day and just stay on that schedule regardless of what I have going on. Occasionally I'll sleep in and that looks like getting up at 5:15. Sometimes, I need to get up earlier for hunting or skiing, but getting up at 3:30 when you're used to getting up at 4 is no big deal. Once you get used to getting up and doing work: gym/conditioning/training or whatever, then its just not that big of deal. Its when you suddenly have to change your sleep schedule dramatically that it impacts you. If you're used to getting up at 7 and then have to wake up 3 hours earlier, its going to be difficult.

 

[mxgsfmdpx]

My regular summer schedule is up at 4 am and to shooting spots by 4:30-4:45. I can then be back for work meetings starting around 8am.

A nap is key for me, usually around noon and I sleep for an hour minimum. I’m then normally asleep by 10:00 or earlier most nights.

If I can get 6 hours minimum of uninterrupted sleep at night with a 1-2 hour nap mid day I don’t have any issues at all.

 

[Ramem7mm]

There are lots of good advice already stated. To add and reiterate maybe see a doctor and have blood work done to see how that looks. If you are in good physical shape and not overweight and eat healthy then you should normally be ok. Keep hydrated and have electrolytes as others mentioned would be a big help if your not already doing that.

 

[redtail]

+1 for early dinner. I’m always amazed the difference it makes.

And just making sure you’re getting even calories throughout the day. I’m up between 4 and 5 daily. I’ll have something small with coffee (to prevent GI upset) then will have a protein-heavy full breakfast between 0800-1000. The energy boost is real.

 

[TradLife406]

Caffeine and lip pillows.

Also make bed time a hard set time. 2030. Then up at 0330.

 

[ActivelyDying]

Sleep deprivation is a b*tch man. I’m a FF so as much as I try to have a routine sleep schedule the sporadic wake ups kind of prohibit it. If I can get a nap in the day after a brutal shift that helps, but sometimes powering through to 2000 or 2100 and then catching up is all I can do. I recently started utilizing high doses of creatine when sleep deprived, read about it for shift workers and jet lag and have found it to be super helpful if I’m going to rally through the day. As opposed to my typical 5g I’ll up it to 15-20g to break that blood brain barrier. It’s worked wonders for me on days I want to be productive but got rocked the night before. If you’re already taking creatine give it a try.