-
We are a multilingual website again. Read the notice about this.
-
Understand AI use at MyPTSD: all AI use is explained in our AI help page. AI use is by choice here. It exists if you want it, but does nothing unless you choose to use it.
Should i change my sleeping hours?
- Post starter Flip flop
- Start date
- Status
Yes I did it when I was very unwell but for different reasons. I didn't feel safe sleeping at night, in a bed, and was hyper at that time too. I started allowing myself to have short sleeps at work during the day and allowed myself to sleep on the sofa at home near the door with lights and tele on. Opposite to all the sleep hygiene stuff we are told. It really helped me. Not saying it was the real final solution as there are obvious downsides but allowed me to function a little. I was almost not sleeping at all until I did this.
- Post starter
- #3
THANKS! I’m going to try this for awhile.
Sweetleaf
Diamond Member
I am in that sleeping pattern, sort of. Not really by choice. This is just when my body is letting me sleep, and I've only just started being able to get steady-sleep. I've tried shifting it back into a normal schedule but it's really hard. I often lie awake for a long time before my brain calms enough to let me sleep.
I tend to fall asleep around 5-6 AM, and wake up between 10am and 1pm or so. It is very calming and decompressing to be awake at night. Nobody making noise, everything is nice and quiet, nobody is bothering me. I often find myself thinking "uuuuugh I cant wait for all the people to go to bed so I can try to relax"
Where I live, its north enough to have no black sky in the summer. The sun goes barely below the horizon. The sky never stops being blue. It makes it easy for me to do late nighttime bike rides and stuff, without people around.
I tend to fall asleep around 5-6 AM, and wake up between 10am and 1pm or so. It is very calming and decompressing to be awake at night. Nobody making noise, everything is nice and quiet, nobody is bothering me. I often find myself thinking "uuuuugh I cant wait for all the people to go to bed so I can try to relax"
Where I live, its north enough to have no black sky in the summer. The sun goes barely below the horizon. The sky never stops being blue. It makes it easy for me to do late nighttime bike rides and stuff, without people around.
gealach
Diamond Member
what is your natural circadian rhythm... morning person, night owl, something in between?
I'm naturally a night owl, and want to got to bed between 6am-8am and sleep for about 6 hours total. Anything outside of that is a fight, and I just don't get any sleep. Early mornings, or just mornings, for me, are like a 90 year old trying to pull an all-nighter... I drag my ass no matter what "sleep hygiene" BS I try (I did that for a full year, never adjusted, and my sleep was much worse). I was like this before the ptsd, it's just my natural circadian rhythm. Ptsd amplified what my circadian already wanted, but didn't fundamentally change my circadian rhythm. Ptsd or no ptsd, I'll just never be a morning person, and will always be a night owl.
If your circadian isn't naturally a night person, you might be able to shift your sleeping hours a bit, but nothing extreme like staying up ALL night and sleeping ALL day. It might be more like staying up later, and "sleeping in". Try it in steps, and be prepared to go back to earlier hours if you feel worse.
I'm naturally a night owl, and want to got to bed between 6am-8am and sleep for about 6 hours total. Anything outside of that is a fight, and I just don't get any sleep. Early mornings, or just mornings, for me, are like a 90 year old trying to pull an all-nighter... I drag my ass no matter what "sleep hygiene" BS I try (I did that for a full year, never adjusted, and my sleep was much worse). I was like this before the ptsd, it's just my natural circadian rhythm. Ptsd amplified what my circadian already wanted, but didn't fundamentally change my circadian rhythm. Ptsd or no ptsd, I'll just never be a morning person, and will always be a night owl.
If your circadian isn't naturally a night person, you might be able to shift your sleeping hours a bit, but nothing extreme like staying up ALL night and sleeping ALL day. It might be more like staying up later, and "sleeping in". Try it in steps, and be prepared to go back to earlier hours if you feel worse.
Friday
Sponsor
I sleep better in the daytime... so when I can arrange my schedule to suit myself? That’s what I do.
FragileGlass
Silver Member
One thing that has been helping for me to combat fatigue from either oversleeping or sleeping ‘off schedule’ also allowing more productivity. I’ve been changing to Polyphasic sleep pattern. It’s not for everyone. I would do some research on it to see if it would make sense for you.
Essentially you change your pattern of sleeping to multiple times through the 24 hour day for shorter periods. It takes awhile to get used to. It’s been helping me with nightmares, when I sleep I’m actually tired enough to sleep and it never feels so deep that I feel like I’m coming out of a fog.
Essentially you can plan your sleep schedule around when you feel most comfortable. It doesn’t work for those who work 12 hour shifts. For those who work 8-9 hours can pull this off.
Sleeping for 8-9 hours is actually a rather modern thing. The old days people used to sleep in two shifts. First sleep and Second sleep.
Essentially you change your pattern of sleeping to multiple times through the 24 hour day for shorter periods. It takes awhile to get used to. It’s been helping me with nightmares, when I sleep I’m actually tired enough to sleep and it never feels so deep that I feel like I’m coming out of a fog.
Essentially you can plan your sleep schedule around when you feel most comfortable. It doesn’t work for those who work 12 hour shifts. For those who work 8-9 hours can pull this off.
Sleeping for 8-9 hours is actually a rather modern thing. The old days people used to sleep in two shifts. First sleep and Second sleep.
Sleep is a huge problem for me. I can't fall asleep until 3-4am but when I do, I need like 12 hours sleep. Im not sure if I really need that much but I don't work and when I force myself to get up by noon, I have trouble staying awake. Then my day is gone for businesses that are open, dr appt. and many other things. I miss out on things I could do like lunch with friends.
I did that whole rhythm cycle change which took months of work and was unsuccessful. This really interferes with the way I want to live, but another side of me just doesn't care anymore. I spent most of my life going to bed at 10 and up at 6, so now that I am 60 yrs old, who cares. My friends know how I am and call and ask if Im up at 3 pm. Its become kind of a joke. But I do have a swimming pool and would like to get some sun one of these days.
I did that whole rhythm cycle change which took months of work and was unsuccessful. This really interferes with the way I want to live, but another side of me just doesn't care anymore. I spent most of my life going to bed at 10 and up at 6, so now that I am 60 yrs old, who cares. My friends know how I am and call and ask if Im up at 3 pm. Its become kind of a joke. But I do have a swimming pool and would like to get some sun one of these days.
ILoveLife
VIP Member
I took extended release melatonin to adjust my circadian rhythms. Was a 3 month treatment, worked wonders.
- Post starter
- #11
I sure wish that drs. could come up with a real treatment for this, but unfortunately, I don't think they even understand it or the impact that it has. I am sorry for you all that can't sleep at night....and Im sorry to say that it makes me feel less alone in this. I have tried everything and it does not work for me. Maybe we should start a midnight chat!
- Status
Similar posts
Donation drives
Trending content
-
-
What Are You Feeling Today? Not Thinking, Rather Feeling! Can You Identify Yours?
- goingonhope
Comments: 34K -
-
-
-
