A good night's sleep?

[past caring]

The benefits of a good night's sleep are obvious - but I've been struggling a bit with this in-game.

The problem is twofold: I usually find that I'm not tired enough by the time it gets dark to sleep for a full 12 hours - whilst the need to preserve lantern fuel for actually necessary tasks means that it's only rarely worth using a lantern to create the light needed for repairing gear or crafting (which would have the effect of draining energy/making you more tired). I suppose you can harvest stuff in the dark and whilst I can't remember off the top of my head whether you can use a whetstone or firearm cleaning kit, the point remains - there's only a certain amount of that you can usefully do.

So I've invariably ended up with the (admittedly minor) frustration of having to do the "pass time without sleeping/sleep/pass time without sleeping" thing at either end of the day in order to make full use of the daylight.

Yesterday, in my current base of Mystery Lake Camp Office, I had the brainwave of going for a jog around the block as dusk approached - i.e. sprinting back and forth between the office and railway track until my energy level entered the red zone. And I slept like a baby for 12 hours, waking just as there was enough light to start doing stuff. 😁 I'm thinking I could probably improve the technique by overloading myself with gear - but that would involve disturbing and re-arranging my carefully stored kit, so doesn't really appeal. I'm wishing now that there were a few more cars around in Mystery Lake - I've found another use for the batteries. 🤣🤣

Anyone else got any ideas? Or am I an idiot and this kind of nonsense doesn't bother you? 😂😂

[manolitode]

It's a good question, it can be a little frustrating for sure to wake up fully rested with several hours of darkness left. One will have to figure out their own best circardian rhythm in game. I like to save reading til sunset and craft reishi/rose hips etc and sharpen tools when it's pitch black. You can break down crates by hand (edit: and clothes for cloth) in the darkness too. Apart from that, stay active and move around during daytime 😃

Edited June 4, 2020 by manolitode

[Dr. S.]

Yes, I run into this too, especially if I've done a lot of crafting/harvesting/cooking. Mostly I don't let it bother me; It's part of the game. But ...

1) Sharpening tools and cleaning guns can be done in the dark. So I usually only do those activities after dark. Harvesting curtains or breaking down crates without tools are also good after-dark activities.

2) Fishing can be a good dusk-to-after-dark activity, especially at ML or at the Bleak Inlet worker's quarters, where it's easy to get back home after dark. 

3) Get more comfortable being outside at night. It's often surprisingly well-lit, and not that cold. I watched a couple of @jeffpeng videos and I was very impressed by how much he was able to get done outside at night. This is of course easier to do at locations without predators like the ravine or Marsh Ridge, but at the camp office or trappers or the dam you can go out at night and collect wood quite safely.

[ManicManiac]

Another simple thing you can do to help wear you out before bed:

Sprint for a while

If I've been out gathering sticks and at the end of the day I don't think I'm tired enough, I'll just start sprinting as I make my way back to my encampment.  Heck, in bad weather I've even done a little "in door exercise" by just sprinting around a room for a little while just to get a little more tired out.   It may seem silly but it works.

I think it's also good to bear in mind we don't necessarily need to sleep 12 hours.  If sleeping 8 hours will get you through to the morning, there's nothing wrong with that.  Even if you don't wake up fully rested... then that might be ideal if you have a hard time wearing yourself out through the day.

 

Edited June 4, 2020 by ManicManiac

[ManicManiac]

@Dum_Gen
@Dr. S.
@manolitode

Right on! I think those are all good points.

Edited June 4, 2020 by ManicManiac

[MarrowStone]

I'd save sprinting as a last resort, you're burning calories you wouldn't have if you would just pass time. I recommend saving the nighttime for cooking and boiling water since if you cook your food so that both slots aren't staggered you can squeeze in a short task that requires light like mending. While the tea is cooking you can actually prepare more tea from the ingredients.

If you're just boiling 2 litres of water you can read an entire hour from a skill book while waiting. Wood chopping is a task that always needs done too. Also, if you pass time till morning, pass only enough time so that you can sleep it back. 

[past caring]

Thanks for the responses everyone.

Some good ideas there - and I agree/understand it's not always necessary to have a full energy bar at the beginning of the day. I suppose what I'm really trying to avoid is waking up in the dark and having to pass time before I can get on with stuff. That's not really a massive issue anyway - but for some reason I just see it as some sort of personal failure if I haven't managed to time things right. 🤣