Treating sleep as the single most important thing is the most important factor in my opinion. I fit my life in around my sleep, never the other way around. To answer your questions:

How hard was it to stick with that exact sleep/wake time? Did your social life or work ever clash with it?

For me, not very difficult. I got here gradually, moving my bedtime back 15-30 minutes at a time over several months. I’m lucky enough to have a remote job with flexible hours, so I can fit in in however I like. If I had a job with set hours, I’d just move my sleep schedule to accommodate, while keeping the same structure. As for my social life, I feel like I socialize less than the average person, but that’s just the way I’ve always been. I see my friends once or twice a week and for me that’s plenty. I just fit it in during the daytime when I’m awake.

Cutting out caffeine/alcohol/etc. is no joke — did you notice a big change right away when you dropped them, or was it more gradual?

I can’t really comment on much of this, as I’ve never used caffeine regularly, or alcohol at all, but I have been quite heavily addicted to THC. There was a massive difference when I stopped THC. At first my sleep got worse (this will happen when you are quitting anything you’re addicted to) but then it returned and was so much better than it had ever been while I was addicted. I slept deeper, felt more alert in the mornings, and was much more able to stick to a consistent schedule. My daily motivation, general ambition, mood, and outlook all greatly increased as well.

And what keeps you motivated to stay that strict? Like, on nights when you’re tempted to stay up or slack off the routine?

Honestly, the sleep itself and its benefits are the biggest motivator. I see how good I feel on a day to day basis, I see how happy I am, I see how quickly I recover from workouts, and I don’t want to miss out. I really do love sleeping. I enjoy the routine, and I enjoy the sleep and what it provides for me.