It's very true and I have exactly the same experience. But to last through the day, anything less than 5 cycles won't do. You can do 2 cycle, get up and feel okay but after 6 hours you'll be tired.
There are 5 cycles and not everyone cycles the same. Some have shorter cycles and some don't go through all the cycles REM being the last. Dreams are in deep sleep right before REM. Number one food for a Human is sleep, it doesn't matter how healthy a lifestyle you live if you are sleep deprived your health will go south and fast. peace. No I didn't google this and it might be wrong,,,all of it. lol.
I think I found the problem: you are on the west coast! I was recently in Europe, and it was great having the U.S. market open at 3:30pm... total dream for someone like me who prefers to get up at 9:30am and go to sleep at 2:00am. I'll work any schedule my work requires of me.. but I must say trading the U.S. markets while in Europe was awesome. You could take all morning and afternoon to think about what you want to do... market doesn't open until 3:30pm. Do your natural sleep patterns want you to sleep past 6:30am? I've had to work jobs where I have to get up at 5:45-6:00am, and yes that makes me sleepy! For those jobs I'm fine if I'm moving around a lot. But if I have to get up at 6:00am and then stay at a desk, that can make me tired. The east coast isn't that bad. Plus, New Hampshire and Florida have no capital gains tax. Would you enjoy sleeping in three extra hours... maybe east coast!
same here, and its an evil circle because i soon get bored and start trading again! i havent slept for a year now, turns out i didnt need to.
There have been some great tips here! I hope you're getting more sleep now and feeling better! One thing that helps me is to just do some brief exercise. I have a little rebounder (mini trampoline) next to my desk, and running in place on it or jumping for a minute can really wake me up (plus, it's fun!). It's really important to get up and move at least once an hour anyway, and a couple minutes of exercise every hour really adds up. You could even just walk in place while you trade, sit on an exercise ball so you're using good posture, keep free weights near your desk, etc. Sometimes you just need a short nap--even 15 minutes can make a big difference. One cool thing about naps is that they are basically worth double what you get at night. So, if you take a 30 minute nap, it's as if you slept an extra hour the night before. I don't have sources for this, but they may be out there--just something to perhaps keep in mind. I would also focus on nutrient-rich foods. You could do a green smoothie for breakfast, as that's quick and easy, and there are several supplements that can help as well, such as fish oil and vitamin D3, for example. Good luck, and I hope your trading is going well!
sometimes I try not to trade when I cannot get fully concentrated. Cold shower and a short walk can be often helpful.
Some ideas.... Daily vigorous excercise. e.g. http://fitnessblender.com/ or cycling or running or swimming Go to bed earlier without any screen device or other distraction Less carbs (none in the morning, or even none until after trading is over), more healthy fats and cream Black or green tea instead of coffee. It contains Theanine. Less opioid peptides / proteins. i.e. no milk, no wheat or oats. Top quality nutrient supplement e.g. http://www.lifeextension.com/Vitamins-Supplements/item02298/Comprehensive-Nutrient-Packs-ADVANCED Get a daily dose of strong direct sunshine, followed by Melatonin releasing total darkness at night. Consider a melatonin supplement and/or https://www.hion.com/products/dream-powder-br-night-time-blend Listen to https://www.focusatwill.com/ Still feel sleepy the in the day? Go to bed and have a nap. You may find having a mid-session nap is the fastest solution.
Ha! I know, right? My dad learned this when he was flying off aircraft carriers as a Marine during Vietnam. Their sleep was often interrupted, and the men called their afternoon naps "fighter naps." Again, I don't have a source for it, but if it was a good enough theory for the "Marines," it's definitely good enough for me!