How to fix sleep pattern?

#1

This is driving me nuts! I want to go to bed every night at Midnight and I haven’t been getting to bed until 3-4:30 AM lately. What’s a sure way to knock myself out by midnight? Should I ask for a prescription from my doctor? Anything good?

(Alec) #2

Get up every morning at 6am and get going with your day, regardless of when you went to bed. I guarantee that your body will learn very quickly that the best idea is to go to sleep before midnight.

#3

Problem is I have been sleeping mid day lately to make up for lost sleep. I go to lay down several times per day, because I am in pain (I’m disabled with circulation issues), and I get sleepy and fall asleep sometimes. It’s so annoying.

(Alec) #4

I think that is your problem. If you sleep til 12 and take additional naps, your circadian rhythm is simply set up to go to sleep at 4.30am. The only way to break that is to get up at 6 and stay awake until you want to go to sleep later in the evening. Over time, your body will adjust.

(Gregory Cooper) #5

I agree! And don’t sleep during the day. Be energetic all day, make your routine. Then at night you will automatically fall asleep because of the active and tiring day, and you don’t have to force it.

(Scott) #6

It takes about two weeks for me to make something a habit. Start going to bed at 10:00 and reading a book if not sleepy. I like a tablet with the page darkened and the type a mild amber. No TV and get up at five or six for two weeks. May want to limit the napping too.

(Allie) #7

You have to force yourself into a routine of bed / wake at the same time every day, no matter how tired you are, with no napping in between. It won’t take long to normalise your routine.

#8

Get 30 min of full daylight as soon as you wake up in the morning. Avoid daylight after 4 pm, wear sunglasses if you have to. Keep your bedroom dark, if you need light in the evening, use red light only. Use only a few dark yellow to red lights in your house after 6 pm (includes bathroom). If you need to use any kind of screen after 6 pm, use a deep amber to dark red light filter, and set the light intensity as low as at all possible. Don’t use screens after 8 pm.
These are the light hacks, and they work. The light our eyes are exposed to control lots of hormonal processes related to sleep.

Coffee, or anything with caffeine should not be had after noon. Preferably not at all. It makes sleep lighter or elusive, depending on.

Don’t lie in bed without sleeping. If you don’t fall asleep within 15 min, go do some housework, handicraft, crosswords. Whatever is possible in your dimly lit house. Then try again. Keep going to bed and getting up until you fall asleep.

Don’t fall asleep on the couch. If you’re that tired, use your bed instead, and aet your alarm to 45 min. One afternoon nap isn’t all that detrimental, as long as it’s short enough. Still don’t go to bed without sleeping, though.

And when you finally fall asleep in your bed, get as much sleep as you can manage. Getting up too early doesn’t really work for everybody. People have different circadian rhythms, some fall asleep early, others very late. 8-9 hours of sleep is most important. I often get sleepy earlier if I have gotten a full night’s sleep.

But do change your lights. That really works. And even better if you don’t do anything interesting after 8 pm. You’ll be bored to sleep.

#9

Thanks for all the advice. Only problem is I am disabled, and I do have to lay down mid day more than once, due to circulation problems. So I can’t avoid that. I’ll try to make sure I stay awake and not fall asleep mid day if I can. I read my iPad in bed (which automatically changes color temperature according to the time of day). I read this when I lay down to rest and read it until I get sleepy at night.

(Allan Misner) #10

Try some magnesium about 45 minutes before bed time (I like Natural Vitality Calm). Develop a sleep ritual that gets you off of electronics (despite the color filters, you’re still getting stimulated). Stick to reading fiction (real books, not tablets) or writing in a journal (by hand). It is best if you can do this by candlelight. Keep your bedroom cool, sound-neutral, and dark once your bedtime arrives. Close your eyes, breathe deeply, and focus on a mantra.

And, then, yes, get up at your normal time and avoid naps.

(Dawn Michelle) #11

This book saved me:

Sleep Smarter: 21 Essential Strategies to Sleep Your Way to A Better Body, Better Health, and Bigger Success https://www.amazon.com/dp/1623367395/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_bntPCbWYM5S3S

That plus chamomile capsules solved all of my sleep problems.

#12

The point of going to bed with no electronics, is to teach your body to fall asleep when you go to bed. When the bed becomes a place where the only thing you do is sleep, you might even manage to fall asleep when you aren’t really sleepy. But you could try using electronics to keep you awake when you lie down during the day.

(Allie) #13

@Jennifer72 what about setting alarms when you need to lie down during the day? If you can have an alarm go off say every five or ten mins to keep you from sleeping at those times then it would help you be more ready to sleep when you should be sleeping.

#14

Really good idea thanks :). Lots of good ideas there, thanks everyone!