I am aware of how many people tell me they read before bed because it puts them to sleep. I still am amazed by this. As I read and I wake up, it is biggest wake up, caffine, or even a No Doz pill couldn't wake me up more than a good five or ten minutes of reading.
For this reason I need to be very careful not to read before bed, if I am not at the end of a book this is even more true.
Because I will keep reading, if I am not at the end of the book long past my cut off time.
If I am going to go to bed, I need to stop reading 2 to 3 hours before bed time. Or I will be awake, and it is best if I just stop reading in the early afternoon, and don't read after dinner time.
I have been known to start reading at the wrong time of night and then be so awake that even if I finish the book at midnight I have to find another book to read and keep reading until dawn.
I have done this on days when I have had to go to work, and as long as I don't finish the book I am reading I can be fine all day by reading the book at break times and lunch time. Though by time I get home I do want to go bed.
So does reading keep you awake or put you to sleep?
[question posted by nowment]
responses and comments:
It does depend on the book. I do usually read before bed to take my mind off all the events in the day that are likely to keep me awake. However if I am reading a really good book, I do tend to keep reading 'just another chapter' and stay awake longer than I intended. [michelledarcy]
I have done this as well, with the just one more chapter. I like to know how the story goes. I can get so lost or submerged in a book. I have read some bad books that if it were not for the fact that I must finish the book I would throw it away, and those I can put down, but usually need to clear my mind of it by reading something better. So it is very rare that I can read then go to sleep, I have to be very tired to be able to do that. Thanks for answering. [nowment]
For me, it has no effect either ways. I can read and sleep, and I can read and stay awake. I just can stop reading at anytime. I'm not of the type who try to finish a book in one setting. [cerium]
It isn't so much the need to finish the book in one setting, because I have finished books only to start another. I have also kept books I have read in the past to use as a quick wake up to get me moving in the morning, and then to keep me more alert through out those days that I seem to be more tired. [nowment]
I read magazines before bedtime as the stories are short and won't get me too engrossed in them so I won't be kept awake. I won't read a book immediately before going to bed as I generally want to keep reading and I stay up too late. So, for the most part, I would say that reading keeps me awake. [gardengalz]
Reading a book that I'm interested in will always keep me awake and is the reason I have trouble getting to sleep so many nights. But if its a textbook or something boring than it will put me asleep. [smartie1685]
yup, thats true for me...i am a person that are hard to reading except for the novel...i dunno why.. everytime i reading i always read loudly.. anybody have same problems with me? [akubudakbiasa]
Well books certainly don't make me go to sleep but if I start reading I'll get so wrapped up in what I'm reading that I forget that I was tired. And then I'll move onto another book, and the next thing I know it's morning. I find the more I focus on someting, the more I can push aside my own physical needs. Needless to say this has come in handy in stressful situations lol. [xParanoiax]
interesting, reading puts me to sleep now, i love it! i've always had difficulty getting to sleep, probably because i was always up late for work or watching tv. i don't think reading helps me wake up but maybe i'll give it a try, i used to be able to get up with ease but now it's harder and harder to get out of bed, i think it's because our house is so cold! [charlazio]
Well, it depends on many things, on the how interesting the book is, how tired I am, how early do I have to get up the following morning. There are books that I practically couldn't stop reading them, before I reach the final page, and others that I keep reading 20-30 pages every night until I finish them. But in general, as I sleep very easily (and wake up with great difficulty :):)), reading does not really affect my sleep habits [Eiloin]
That's the only way I can go to sleep. I have to read a book or magazine to get sleepy eanough to fall asleep. And yes sometimes if its a really good book, I have trouble putting it down. But eventually I fall asleep, sometimes with the lamp on. [helenfillion]
Well it depends on the type of book I'm reading.If it generates my interest in the topic I'll read a whole lot of it otherwise I usually sleep during reading... [Silver98]
I love reading but I have to be honest, it puts me to sleep regardless of the book I am reading. It doesn't matter If I'm reading my fave writer's latest book or the most boring book ever: I tend to fall asleep, especially If I'm reading on my bed. Anytime I feel like reading I try to do it by sitting on the sofa or a chair or else I just close my eyes o_O [nageki]
It depends on how tired I am and how deep into the story I get. Sometimes a book will keep me up all night, and other times I get drowsy on the first page. I think it always depends on the book, too. Textbooks are guaranteed to put me to sleep if I read them at night! [tacoman25]
It usually puts me to sleep. If I can't get to sleep at night I'll pick up a book and read for about a half hour and then I'm usually out like a light. [inked4life]
It depends. I do a lot of doing. Law school does that to a person. Most of the time, I have a hard time keeping myself awake... especially when I need to be awake the most (like during exams). There are times when I am fully awake because of pressure I guess but I wish I could be awake most of the time when I read. So basically, this is one problem I have that I have to start taking seriously. [fkcplamencks]
I find that a little bit of reading before I try to sleep really does help. My eyes get so tired after being online. When it comes to sleeping, I really don't do well at all, I suffer from Insomnia, and so doing things that involves my eyes to a great extent such as being online, or reading does help. It makes my eyes tired. Strangely enough, I can read for an hour before bed, and my eyes will be tired, yet my brain isn't - and I find that sometimes, I have to go back over what I read the night before, because my brain didn't process what it was seeing. i think thats on nights when my entire body is tired, its one of the few times where I actually sleep for more than 4 hours without waking up. [retardedrugrat]
that sounds weird but acceptable.... I have seen people who really are crazy enough for readin..so much crazy that they leave all their works... all their things to be done...and keep on reading.... I wouldn't say that they are crazy but then no doubt this obsessesion makes them look like one.... I have been a good studnet myself academicaly though, and bear a good knowledge of lterature and books too, but I oculd never develop reading as a hoby....then passions and obsessessions come laterz actually.... for me reading is a good time pass... but I generally find myself absorbed in reading only when I am free and not left with any other work to d... otherwise you'd barely find me reading anyting...sometimes it is a week I have read and sometimes, it is for a week long I have been reading.... but I agree that it puts on anxeity and would rather take away your sleep.... instead of putting you to sleep? [KetanGulati]
I read myself to sleep every night, it doesn't matter how late I go to bed I hve to pick my book up. Reading in the day is fatal, once I pick a book up nothing gets done, even worse than mylot. [rainbow]
it depends on the time of day I start reading. if its late at night, after a long day, it really helps to relax me enough to be able to fall asleep for the night. if its early in the morning, and i dont feel like getting out of bed yet, I can grab my book and read a chapter or two, and it helps me to wake up slowly and not feel so rushed for the day. [ShayMorris]
With me it puts me to sleep. Same with movies. I use reading the nights I have a hard time but generally I have no problems sleeping. So needless to say I don't find too much time for reading anymore except for on the computer. [coolcatzz]
I think it would depend on the material. If you like it, of course, it would keep you awake, and read on until the last chapter. But if it feels like a chore, then naturally, you'll feel sleepy [orangepeel]
Actually yes, the situation you have described one of yourself has always been the case with me. I agree with you and amazed at the people who read a few pages as a starter to sleep. I think it is because they are not really readers and reading just tire their minds and put them to sleep. While for readers it is the biggest turn on. I have read most books at night. Some have kept me till dawn and some have kept me awake till their own end. Depends on the book. [zotopec]
it depends...But generally i sleep during reading [SunLook]
Excess of everything is bad.That way when you are about reaching the climax of the book you are reading,you don't want to stop it and keep on reading ignoring your sleepiness. [rekhum]
It depends on what i am reading, and how far from the end of the book i am. Sometimes i can start reading and look at the clock and i've been reading for over an hour, sometimes i start falling asleep so i stop reading. Often if i am near the end of the book and really enjoying it then i will carry on, no matter what time it is. [Alicet]
reading put me on sleep.if i can't go sleep at night, i try to get some book to read. and with these way suddenly i get to sleep.i don't know what cause it, but reading on the bed to get sleep is very use full for me.cause i often can't sleep after a hard working day.nice discussion [nur050804]
reading put me on sleep.if i can't go sleep at night, i try to get some book to read. and with these way suddenly i get to sleep.i don't know what cause it, but reading on the bed to get sleep is very use full for me.cause i often can't sleep after a hard working day.nice discussion [nur050804]
definately puts me to sleep [Nadinest]
hmmmm i never sleeped while i was reading... but it make me relax :D but don't make me sleep :D [juoanna]
Work with a realistic Schedule Pay attention 2 the following things *Your best time 4 accomblishing certain tasks(e.g., you might find that you read 20 pages of your sociology textfrom ten to eleven o'clock in the morning and only 10 pages of the ame text from three to four o'clock in the afternoon) *Your best time 4 accomblishing certain tasks(e.g., you might expect to read 15 pages, on average, of that same sociology text inone hour) *your sleep patterns (e.g., if you never get up before eleven o'clock in the morning, it makes no sense to put together a schedule that has you getting up at six!) *your eating patterns(When do you get hungry?What happens to your concentration when you skip meals? Do you get tired after eating etc.) *your best times for exercise & other types of recreation((Does exercise wake you up--orput you to sleep? Do you consistently watch television on Thursday nights? etc.) [alux066]
it depends on what to read. if it's a novel written by a favorite author, i'll end up finishing it in just one sitting, or giving it a top priority when i finished my work at home or office. i put it in my bag, under my pillow on bed for easier handling and browsing. i used it as a weapon to put me to sleep since it make my eyes tired and easily retire. [lyndee22]