October 30, 2007
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Sleep Schedule
After years of sleeping well, I have had the weirdest sleep schedule for the past month or so. I go to bed at the usual time (1 or 2 am), but wake up around 7 am. This morning, I woke up at 6:30?! That isn’t enough sleep for this guy! But I can’t go back to sleep, so I end up working from home in the mornings. By the time I get into the office, sometimes I’ve already put in a half day! But it doesn’t feel like it counts, since I’m working from home.
I would like to sleep more regularly again, and could use some advice. Cutting out caffeine and adding exercise is definitely on my list. Any other tips to help me sleep through the night?
Comments (42)
yesterday i woke up at 3am. decided to not even try for more sleep. instead i got up and got started on laundry, etc. this morning? same…thing… this time i thought, “oh HELL no…”…burrowed back down in the recliner [it's where i dozed off in the night]…and caught another 2 hours of z’s.
no suggestions. i have no sleep pattern anymore. but, i’m old. i don’t know what excuse you can use. yet.
Grandpa’s medicine.
Tylenol PM . . . for a couple of nights, until your body gets used to the sleeping pattern . . . only to be disrupted w/the time change next weekend.
sleep in a comfortable position eg straight back, arms by your side, etc otherwise you could have a bad dream and wake up haha. In your dream you might be uncomfortable or in pain ..
Benedryl. That way you avoid prescription sleeping pills, but it helps you get a good six to eight hours, typically. Good luck!
Nyquil. 30 to 60 minutes later… ZZzzzzzzzzzzzzz
I’m usually functional after 5 hours of sleep. Below recommended dose, but doable.
sleeping at the same time every night, waking up same time too, making your room completely dark and silent… if only i take this advice for myself…
You don’t have kids yet do you?! Little monsters are an instant early morning alarm… I hear that changes in the teen years, we’ll see.
I always sleep better when I’m off the caffeine. Something I have just started using are the Breath Right stripes… they don ‘t prolong my sleep, but I don’t wake up as much at night and I feel better rested in the morning when I do get up.
Wait… was this just a plug to let the boss know you’ve been doing extra work at home?
I think cutting the caffeine and getting exercise is a good idea. I found that excercise has helped me sleep alot better, but don’t do it too late in the day because it could be too stimulating and have the opposite effect than what you want. I find that not watching tv, working on the computer or reading anything too exciting at least an hour before bed helps me relax and sleep more soundly too.
very dark-colored curtains.
eating before bed. mmm, fooood.
but i recommend the curtains.
i have cycles of sleeping badly too. hmm…tips. make sure it’s not too warm; no caffeine in the evening; yoga makes you sleep really well, i noticed.
I get the same thing… but sometimes worse… like Monday morning I woke up at 3:30 and never went back to sleep. :-S I blame it on my sched from working on fire department. I can be up at all hours of the night. Sometimes I wonder if I am in a constant semi-jetlag. wired.
Do you take naps? that could be part of it….
MrT
The only thing I have ever known to do is to get out of bed immediately. Eventually I just get tired again after a night or two.
A glass of warm milk about a half hour before bed usually helps. Think back to when you were a baby, nothing quite says out like a light like a glass of that stuff.
I recently started taking a natural vitamin/sleeping aide called melatonin. Its very cheap and very effective. I dont wake up in the morning feeling groggy or beat up. I purchased mine at http://www.puritan.com. Cheap vitamins, usually buy two get one free. I used to take nyquil gel caps, because those dont make me feel groggy in the morning either, but these seem to do the trick for me. Good luck! If you do go this route, lemme know if they were effective for you. I’m curious. Sweet dreams!
warm milk before u sleep.
New mattress, new pillow, new blankets? You’re probably stressing out about something. Exercise is probably the best idea. Yoga?
or just propose having the work day begin at 7:00 AM. I’m sure your company will love that.
Medications screws with your sleeping pattern in the long run and you don’t want to get dependent on pills.
” Any other tips to help me sleep through the night?”
ha ha…didn’t think i’ll hear that from an adult! the “experts” from healthy sleep habits book recommend putting kids down earlier…somehow it magically makes them sleep longer because sleep begets sleep. it’s worth a try! but if you wake up even earlier, ignore this comment.
a boxing glove to the head should help you fall asleep for a while.
OKAY, SO I’M NOT THE BEST WITH IDEAS!
but I’ve heard that using the computer right before the sleep doesn’t help with sleeping, as your brain is still stimulated.
do a lot of exercising/dancing/whatever. You’ll get a great sleep afterwards
if u have heater, turn off the heater so that it’d be extra cold to get out of bed early :p
have a boring book, or better yet GRE vocab flashcards next to u, if u wake up before you want to, read on and fall back asleep :p
haha ya the above sounds like garbage, i agree that u r prob just stress abt sthg subconsciously. have some dessert, wine, massage, treat urself a bit~
I was like that for a while, but then it went away. Now I have other weird shit. I wake up about 15 times during the night. This is the second day…. Maybe it’s the caffeine.
no distractions in the bedroom (TV or computer), no electronics or bright lights 1 hour or two before bedtime so your body can acclimate yourself to a “time for sleeping” those are some general tips I read about when I experienced insomnia… I still do but it’s mostly because of stress, so I guess destressing is important too
Definitely start a routine that leads to sleep…
e.g.
1. drink hot milk
2. read a relaxing book
3. listen to classical music
Do this about an hour before bed.
When your body has gotten ready for this routine, your circadian clock should finally route your mind into sleep mode and probably help with sleep. But never, ever, ever, do anything that will excite the mind too much an hour or two before your desired bedtime.
Another sleep tip:
Keep a journal at your bedside to write some of your thoughts in, so that your mind is more relaxed. That should also help with sleep.
-Sarah
if you get good advice that actually works, please share! for years, i’ve had the worst sleeping schedule. most nights i’ll fall asleep in front of the tv around 9 or 10, but wake up at 2 or 3 a.m. then i force myself back to sleep around 4 or 5 a.m. other times i can’t sleep til 12 or 1 a.m. and wake up at 9ish for work. i need to wake up at 8. i cant seem to get to a regular schedule going.
My psychology teacher recommend that instead of trying to go to bed earlier, force yourself to stay awake for another full 24+ hours until you get to the time where you want to go to bed. That’s supposedly the quickest way.
be grateful you can actually wake up in the morning. i struggle all the time nowadays.
Aww, thanks John! I’m actually relieved to leave the job. One less stress factor in my life…
Has anyone mentioned using earplugs or white noise? Those help me get to sleep (and stay asleep) since I’m a light sleeper.
melatonin tablets…it’s completely natural…to get ur circadian rhythm back to normal…
No computer or stimulating technology within a few hrs of bedtime.
Everyone is different due to the cause of his or her not being able to get adequate sleep. But, try avoiding the following if they pertain to you and see if it changes your sleeping patterns for the better: 1. Avoid watching t.v. or eating in bed. The bed should be used for sleep and sex only. 2. Minimize noise, temperature extremes, and light. 3. Try not to drink fluids after 8 p.m., so you can avoid having to frequently use the restroom in the middle of the night. 4. Stop drinking caffeinated beverages for at least 4-6 hours before going to bed. 5. Don’t exercise right before you go to bed. 6. I would not recommend taking any medications to help you sleep. Most of the time they do not work, and may give you other side-effects. 7. Meditate and do relaxing exercises to relieve stress. 8. If possible, clear your mind of any thoughts before going to sleep (don’t think about work, what you did earlier that day, or that awful tasting food you had at some restaurant, etc). I hope you sleep better. Oh…if you take naps within the day, better to take them in the afternoon and for no more than 15-25 minutes.
A lot of the helpful comments are for getting to sleep, which doesn’t sound like your problem. Melatonin was a good suggestion, though.
What’s your diet like? Any changes with it lately? Don’t eat right before bed, and don’t drink liquids after 6 or 7 pm, so that you don’t have to get up to pee.
Any other changes in your life? Stress is a sleep destroyer…
There are some herbs that help with insomnia (which again isn’t your problem), and some might help you get more restful sleep as well. California poppy and kava kava are the first to spring to mind.
is there something in your mind that’s bothering you? you need to dig deep and figure out what’s stressing you out and resolve because until you do, you’ll keep waking up at 7 am.
Play Wii Boxing for at least 8 hours that day.
Ok just kidding. I take a multivitamin and like you said, avoid caffeine. I’m actually a tea drinker because it has a lot of antioxidants and has less caffeine than coffee. I also really agree with spindlyoyster. I usually sleep fairly well but I definitely need to start exercizing more and eating better. Pete
im have a different sort of predicament.
no matter how much i sleep, 99.9% of the
time i feel tired the next morning.
oh, and dont take a shower right before bed.
Relax before bed. Maybe read a book. Don’t read online. Eat something light such as bread. An empty stomach can be diffcult to sleep on. A stomach full of food might initially put you to sleep, but later it will hinder your sleep. No stimulants nor alcohol.
Do something that puts you in a happy mood. It’s hard to sleep when you’re unhappy.
All I can offer are a bunch of suggestions I haven’t tried myself. Keep lights low in the late evening. Stay away from the computer and tv for the last hour; don’t sleep with them on. Keep a notebook by the bed; if a thought keeps running thru your mind, write it down and tell yourself you will consider it more fully in the morning. Avoid eating in the hour before bed. If you have pain, take a pain pill. Make sure the temp is comfortable. A fan can keep the air moving and drown out minor noises. Consider getting a different pillow.
I hate to tell you, but you could try to go to bed earlier even if you have always gone to bed late. It has to do with age, internal biological rythyms, cortisol, etc. In a nutshell – when you stay up late your body produces cortisol to stay awake (it’s a hormone like adrenaline) and once you have that cortisol in your system it is harder to sleep for the long blocks of time your body needs. Also, try napping in the afternoon. Sleep begets sleep.
I have recently had awful nights. Finally I gave up coffee and Tea. Suffered caffeine withdrawl symptoms, but grit yoour teeth and go through with it. I now have had the best sleeps for years. Good Luck!
go to bed when you are tired, and don’t force yourself to sleep^_^
I have to agree with Sarah:
1. drink hot milk
2. read a relaxing book
3. listen to classical music
#1 is very important- a calcium deficiency can interrupt normal sleep patterns. in periods of high stress or swift change you may burn through your usual calcium reserves and need supplemental calcium. I had a similar problem waking up a couple hours after falling asleep and being wide awake (as if I napped) after drinking milk or increasing other forms of calcium before bedtime I found my sleep pattern and was even experiencing better sleep.
Note: dont take too much calcium either- consult your physician before undertaking any kind of change in diet/supplements or medicines