Long Days

Friday was a long day. 17 hours, 2 minutes, and 52 second to be exact. On one hand, I am excited that my sleeping issues associated with living so far north should start improving, but, on the other hand, it means that we're on the downward slope toward winter.

For whatever reason, I didn't seem to be affected by the excessive daylight last year in the same way I have been this year. Obviously, it's been a gradual change.

There was a sweet spot in April when I woke up (naturally) about 5-10 minutes before my alarm clock was due to start beeping. I assisted this process by keeping my window slightly drawn. It's a wonderful feeling and it left me feeling extra energized before jumping into my full day.

But, of course, the sun just kept rising earlier and earlier. The last few weeks, I would wake up and unhappily find a 4:something time starting back at me. And, not only was I waking up early, but I was also having trouble falling asleep before 11:00 pm while twilight successfully beamed through the cracks in my shades.

And when you throw in a few hot nights, on the (American-style) 5th floor, you're bound to wake up between 1-3 a.m. because of the heat. Thankfully (?), the heat isn't that big of an issue here -- at least not on a regular basis.

Side note: I did try sleeping with a sleep mask and it was just was not for me. Some people said if I invested in a nice one it would help, but I just wasn't keen on the idea.

Just a little comparison from 6/21:

Hamburg:
4:50 sunrise
21:53 sunset

Chicago:
5:15 sunrise
20:29 sunset