Set hard time-based triggers for sleep agents — fatigued…

When This Fires

• When designing or redesigning your sleep routine agent
• When you consistently stay up later than intended because you "didn't feel tired yet"
• When screen time reports show evening phone use past your target bedtime
• When applying Agent triggers must be observable or measurable — vague… (observable triggers) to health-related behavioral agents

Common Failure Mode

Negotiating with the time-based trigger: "It's 9:30 but I'll just finish this episode/chapter/email." The trigger fired successfully — the agent's job is done. The failure is in the action execution. Design the action to minimize negotiation: the 9:30 alarm means "phone goes in the other room, not 'consider whether to start winding down.'"

The Protocol

(1) Set a hard time-based trigger for your sleep shutdown routine. Choose a time that allows 30-60 minutes of wind-down before target sleep time. (2) The trigger must be impossible to miss: phone alarm, smart home automation, or partner agreement. (3) The action should be physical and non-negotiable: phone in another room, lights dimmed, screens off. Not "think about going to bed" but "do these physical actions." (4) Do not override the trigger based on subjective tiredness assessment. The whole point is that your assessment at this hour is unreliable. (5) Track compliance and sleep quality. Most people find that consistent time-based triggers produce better sleep within one week, even though they "didn't feel tired" at trigger time.