Disclaimer!

This post is created with the help of Google AI “Gemini” and is written for documentation and entertainment purposes only. Always do your own research and be skeptical about everything you see and read on the internet.

A:

Going To Sleep at 5PM to wake up at 4AM gives you 11 hours in bed. While that might feel like a good way to “reset” when you’re feeling unmotivated, it may actually leave you feeling worse.

Here is a breakdown of why this might backfire and a better strategy for your entrepreneur’s schedule.

1. The “Sleep Inertia” Risk

Sleeping for 11 hours is significantly more than the recommended 7-9 hours for adults.

• The Hangover Effect: Over-sleeping often leads to “sleep drunkenness” (sleep inertia). You might wake up at 4AM feeling extremely groggy, heavy-headed, and even less motivated than you do now.
• Circadian Mismatch: At 5PM, your body’s core temperature is usually at its peak and your “alertness” hormones are high. Forcing sleep can lead to a shallow, restless night because you’re fighting your internal biological clock.

2. The 4AM Math

If your goal is to be a “high-performance” early raiser, you should aim for the sweet spot of sleep cycle. Each cycle is roughly 90 minutes.

Bedtime	Wake Time	Total Sleep	Result
5:00 PM	4:00 AM	11 Hours	Likely over-slept; risk of grogginess.
8:30 PM	4:00 AM	7.5 Hours	Ideal. 5 full sleep cycles.
10:00 PM	4:00 AM	6 Hours	Manageable, but may cause a mid-day slump.

3. Strategy for “Not Feeling Like Doing Anything”

Since you are an entrepreneur and blogger, your “unmotivated” feeling is often a sign of mental fatigue rather than physical exhaustion. Instead of an 11-hour sleep marathon, try this:

• The “Reset” Protocol: Instead of sleeping at 5PM, take a 20-minute power nap now. This can clear adenosine (the “sleepiness” chemical) without entering deep sleep.
• Low-Stimulus Evening: Since you don’t feel like “doing” anything, don’t. Use this time for low-effort brand brainstorming or reading about chemistry. Avoid high-dopamine scrolling, which will keep your brain wired.
• Early, Not Extreme: Aim to be in bed by 8PM or 8:30 PM. This gives you a solid 7.5 to 8 hours of sleep, which is the gold standard for cognitive function and creativity.

My thoughts

Google Gemini convinced me to go have a 20 minute power nap, and I felt like the information I gained from this piece of writing could benefit someone else reading this post

I never would have thought of going for a 20 minute nap to clear my adenosine. That’s a new word for me. I’m definitely adding 20 minute power naps after work. Because I went form not wanting to do anything to writing this post.