Old habits they say never dies.
Growing up my parents made it a rule that we should read our books every night from 12am-2am everyday at most, and not only when we have a test to write or during exam periods.
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My parents were really strict with these rules so somehow we got used to it though at some point it was really difficult for I and my siblings because after school time we would go to ours mom's shop, right there we would do our assignment and stay till she closes for the day around 9pm in the night.
Then we would get home late some times around ten or past ten, by that time we(especially me) would already be feeling so exhausted and then decide to rest a bit, most times I just sleep off without even having dinner and before I know it it's morning already.
At this point I tried soaking my legs in water hoping it would work for me just like it did for most of my friends but I end dozing off, the whole idea of reading at night wasn't just working at all, it felt like I was punishing myself and not giving my brain enough time to rest.
We will all agreed with the fact that sleeping at some duration is good for our health and getting enough sleep at night helps to keep our brain active and refreshed for the next day's activity.
But after sometime I started managing to make the whole thing work, first I started with setting an alarm to wake me up when it's time to read, then later I discovered a way not to fall asleep while reading. I listen to music while reading and also I just don't read only I try to write out what I have read that way I was keeping myself active preventing myself from dozing off.
So I really didn't do anything or drink anything to prevent me from sleeping while reading at night all I did was listen to music while I read and write.
Anyways it has now become a part me, to stay up at night even when I'm not reading or trying to read. It has become a habit that most of my friend now calls me the night walker, while others tease me to be a witch that flies at night lol.
Most a times even when I don't sleep at all during the and hoping that I would sleep better at night I still find myself waking up at night even without an alarm, even on days that I get super exhausted from my day activities and probably sleep off I still wake up at night and I find it really hard to go back to bed immediately. Those moments I am awake it feels like my body system has gotten so used to me waking and reading my books.
Now I don't need a to listen to music any more to stay awake it's now an in built thing, and not to fall asleep at that moment even when I don't have anything to do I just stay up looking at the ceiling.