Advice For Resetting Sleep Schedule?

[cat-lady]

I used to be a shift worker. My body wants to be on that schedule even though I need to be awake normal hours now. Lately I don't wake up until afternoon and if I set an alarm I just turn it back off. Getting enough sleep is major for helping me cope with my symptoms. What has helped you with this? Thanks

 

[Silver.]

My brother in law has to do what you are doing often because his work schedule will fluctuate between second and third shift. He uses melatonin to help get him to sleep, which your body makes anyways, but sometimes your sleep schedule gets thrown off and it's nice to have a little natural support. I can empathise with the stress of not sleeping (I have chronic insomnia, and try to to it natural). I have tried meditation and reading to calm down my mind when it's time to sleep, if that is your thing. Other than that, I don't have any great ideas, but I hope you can get yourself sorted, we heal when we are asleep and it is so important to get it x

 

[cat-lady]

Thanks! I have never tried melatonin - I'll look into that.

 

[illusionist]

Been there......Try setting your alarm on the other side of the room, so you have to physically get up to turn it off....you then have the conscious decision to stay awake.....hard, but it worked for me to redo my sleep patterns.

 

[cat-lady]

Putting the alarm on the other side of the room worked today! I'll try it again tomorrow and see if I can develop a pattern.

 

[NoWhereKnowWhere]

I really struggle with this my sleeping pattern goes reversed really easily. Sometimes just can't sleep until it's morning.

I've read and tried a lot so I'll share some here. I read quite a few articles that say changing your eating patterns are really important. So it's like a mammal evolutionary thing that your brain won't let you sleep if your hungry so you don't sleep and starve or something. So if you stop eating 14-16 hours before you want to get up so like 6pm if you want to get up at 9am. so you wake more easily in the morning. Then in the morning eat a hearty( <- what ever the heck that means) breakfast. It's apparently been really helpful with jet lag too.

You know the blue light from phones, tablets, laptops and so on that makes your brain think it's day time so avoid those at least 1hr before bedtime. But same goes in the morning so as soon as you wake up open the curtains and let natural light reach your eyes for 5mins yeah don't look at the sun or anything crazy.

 

[illusionist]

Glad that was of help....hopefully it will help get your sleep pattern back....let us know if it helps long term.

 

[cat-lady]

It didn't work today but I think maybe it will still work long term. It's just that my body is going to resist the change at first. The first day was easy but then it caught up with me. I'll keep on trying that method though. I think if I stick to it then it will start working for more and more of the days I try.

 

[cat-lady]

It worked today! I set the alarm a bit later. I think I was trying to make too much change at once.

 

[Silver.]

It worked today! I set the alarm a bit later. I think I was trying to make too much change at once.

Do you think it worked because you woke up to the alarm? Do you always use an alarm to wake up? and did you follow NWKW's eating advice? I ask because I have chronic insomnia and am at a stalemate with my current doctor. So I am up for any tips x

 

[cat-lady]

I don't always use an alarm to wake up but I do whenever I have work or school. I think the alarm is what worked. I didn't follow NWKW's eating advice but I think it would work for the average person. I have a fast metabolism so for me it works too fast and keeps me awake too soon. I would still suggest trying it if you have a normal metabolism though.

 

[cat-lady]

I did follow NWKW's advice about the blue light from electronics and that is definitely a part of the issue for me I think. It's so tempting to check the electronics just one more time before going to bed but I need to stop that.