How to fix a bad sleeping schedule?

[CUG]

Am I the only person on here who does 3 hour naps throughout the day? My sleep schedule is horrendous.

Once in a while I'll take a day to sleep in until 12/1pm, just to catch up. Does anyone have a method for instantly changing your sleeping patterns?

Things I've done that I'm not fond of:
-Staying up for the 30 hours or so just to hit the sack at a reasonable time. The problem with that is sometimes you end up oversleeping and not getting up in time anyway.

-Sleeping pills. I tried them once, and I woke up with a hard-on that didn't go away for 3 hours. No, it wasn't viagra. I also felt spaced out for the entire day, and ended up staying up late that night anyway.

Anyone have other ideas for taming the beast?

[shakalaka]

Around 11 or so just shut down your computer, tv and everything. Turn off your lights and just lie in your bed. You will start falling asleep sooner or later pretty much on time.

Also try and wake up earlier in the mornings. That way you have had a long day and by night time you are ready to pass out. Physical activity during the day fatigues you as well. I am usually up till quite lot but that's because I just find it really boring to go to sleep. So just waste time watching movies or browsing the internet late into nights. But I know that if I was to go to sleep on time, say 10-11, I will be able to without any problems.

[Benny]

Exercise, routine, and discipline.

Honestly a good combination of the 3 will fix your sleep schedule. Just try to wake up earlier, get regular exercise, and not stay up all night gaming/comping/watching tv.

If those don't help, head to the doctor and get prescribed some kickass sleeping pills.

[CUG]

Originally posted by shakalaka
Around 11 or so just shut down your computer, tv and everything. Turn off your lights and just lie in your bed. You will start falling asleep sooner or later pretty much on time.

Also try and wake up earlier in the mornings. That way you have had a long day and by night time you are ready to pass out. Physical activity during the day fatigues you as well. I am usually up till quite lot but that's because I just find it really boring to go to sleep. So just waste time watching movies or browsing the internet late into nights. But I know that if I was to go to sleep on time, say 10-11, I will be able to without any problems.

Originally posted by Benny
Exercise, routine, and discipline.

Honestly a good combination of the 3 will fix your sleep schedule. Just try to wake up earlier, get regular exercise, and not stay up all night gaming/comping/watching tv.

If those don't help, head to the doctor and get prescribed some kickass sleeping pills.

We're not all related are we? The worst part is that my PS3 quit .

Thanks for the advice. I could definitely spend more time on myself in that dept.

[JMaj7]

I read in an article that fasting resets your " internal clock". I don't remember the terminology but it entails not eating for 12 or so hours and eating when you wake up at the desired time. Mightve been 8 hours but i don't remember. You could try reading, getting a head massage or that drink at sev that has melatonin in it. Its purple.

[ExtraSlow]

Originally posted by Benny
Exercise, routine, and discipline.

This, and Diet.

Reduce your intake of stimulants six hours before you want to go to bed. Nothing high in sugar. Aim for slow digesting foods.

Also, don't eat a large meal right before bed. some people find a small snack helps.

Keep a diary of meal times and contents. Turn your bedside clock so you can't read it from bed. Most people read that clock as they are falling asleep and start to do mental math about how long they have till they get up. That's not restful.

Honestly, it'll probably take weeks of concentrated effort to fully reset yourself. But it's worth it in the end.

If after a couple weeks of being rigorous about this, you still are having trouble, go see a doctor. Could be something medical.

[tictactoe2004]

Originally posted by shakalaka
Around 11 or so just shut down your computer, tv and everything. Turn off your lights and just lie in your bed. You will start falling asleep sooner or later pretty much on time.

This is bad advice, if you're not tired don't go to bed, period. You need to only lay down when you start to feel tired, if you're laying in bed and not sleepy or tired get out of bed till you start to get tired again.

I've personally never been a fan of taking a nap during the day but I did have some sleeping issues for a few years... I talked to a doctor who recommended sleeping pills but I know a few people who pretty much got addicted to them so I never even tried one. In my case coffee started affecting me differently in my late 20's, when I was younger I could drink a timmies at 6:00pm and sleep like a baby, now if I have even one cup of coffee past noon I can almost gaurantee I won't sleep well that night.

I would recommend not napping during the day, not going to sleep till you body tells you its time and waking up at the same time every day, even days off. You mentioned you try to sleep in one day a week to help catch up, if I do that it really messes up my sleep schedule bad and takes a few days to get back to normal.

[msommers]

I used to stay up until 1 or 2 in the morning and get up for school or work at 6. I looked like shit some days. Then the weekend would roll around and I'd sleep most of the days away. When I was awake, I was even more tired than I was during the week!

Things that worked for me were getting back to the gym, not snacking after supper, getting up earlier than I have to which makes me tired earlier that night, getting off the computer early (a big help), and oddly enough just lying on the couch watching shows I'd seen 100 times. Some people say reading helps, guess it depends how boring the book is lol.

Sleeping pills are the only thing that will likely change your sleeping pattern as drastically as I think you're hoping it to. It takes time. Try to be religious about it for a week and you should be in the swing of things again.

[GQBalla]

i used to have a bad sleeping schedule when i was in school.

now i try to sleep at least six hours a night. I'd like to get eight but yeah.

i still find myself sleeping in on the weekends to catch up for the week.

What i find really helps is the routine. If i stay up late one night im fucked for the next day unless its the weekend. Having your room dark is a great one i stopped using the alarm clocks even though the light is very dim it makes a difference. I think not knowing what time it is constantly helps out so you relax.

I put my phone away so i can't see it.

[civic_stylez]

I cant believe i actually get 8-9 hours a night.. i used to be the worst. All the health mags say that poor sleep leads to a larger waist line. I avoid eating large dinner as it makes me want to nap after. For me , its prioritizing my sleep. 10pm rolls around im calling it a night.. i save the late nights for a few nights a month.. eat your dinner at 6pm and then have a healthy high fibre snack around 830 or 9. I avoid anything high stress or high exercise for at least an hour before i sleep as well. I power nap for 30-45mins a day but no longer as it messes up my sleep schedule.

If all fails, a shot of irish whisky has never failed me.

[Sugarphreak]

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[Disoblige]

I would suggest:

Step 1) Do some minor exercise (maybe do as many push up as you can until you can't anymore). That would put me to sleep quick sometimes. Then maybe do something else like sit ups.

Step 2) Jerk it.

Step 3) Warm milk.

[AndyL]

Melatonin's a godsend...

I'm screwing around with my sleep schedule right now - switched to a night shift, and it wasn't as easy at it was when I was in my 20s... Taking this stuff is about the only thing keeping me more or less on track...

Well except it didn't work this morning... I should be sleeping, instead i'm wide awake... damn weekends (for me) screw me up royally.

[J-hop]

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[msommers]

Interesting points, J-hop. They seem reasonable enough. I have a theory that micro-radiation from all the electronics in my room were affecting my sleep. I removed them or shutoff stuff for awhile and maybe coincidence or placebo, but it seemed to help.

I remember back in high school we had this yoga chick come in and we did calming exercises. One of them was to tense every single muscle in your body until you could barely stand it - clenching your hands, your face, everything. Afterwards is an instant calming. I use it when I have my mind wandering while I'm trying to fall asleep. Sometimes it helps.

[J-hop]

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[almerick]

Having a before bed routine before you sleep. It tells your brain that it is time to wind down. But personally, I find reading a good BOOK the most effective.

[whiskas]

Go on vacation. Use timezones to your advantage, as well as guilt for sleeping in.

[CUG]

Wicked advice from everyone. Thank you so much

[Tomaz]

auto erotic asphyxiation works for me. Sometimes a bottle of wine after a hard day of work.

I heard not eating 10-12 hours before you wake up is a good way to reset the clock. Basically you get hungry enough to wake up.

Reading a book about an hour before wanting to be asleep is working right now.

timed lights help some people. If you are one who cant stand trying to sleep in the light, it could be an answer.

Best solution: Having a girl in your bed that gets your lazy ass up in the morning. lol