Sleep schedule

[curtis290]

I am one of those types that easily gets his sleep schedule messed up. I'm very nocturnal and don't exercise enough during the winter, so it's not unusual to see me get in the habit of staying up til 7 or 8 and sleeping til like 4 or 5. That's more or less the schedule I was stuck on for a few weeks, when I was teaching few classes (I got real sick for a week and constantly slept in, that helped, and going out very late several times contributed). The past week or two I got back to 'normal' more or less, though I got jetlagged the first couple days. The other day I had 11AM class so I had to wake up at 10.15. I stayed up late the night beforehand and was pretty tired all day.

When I got home from work at like 6 or so, I decided to take a 45 minute nap. I couldn't sleep for a while, so I kept switching my alarm back, but eventually I fell asleep. The alarm woke me up at 7.30ish, and I lay in bed, ready to get up, and passed out. The same thing happened again when I woke up at 8.30, and I ended up waking up at like 10. I was ****** off (I never, ever take long naps). Obviously I ended up staying up very late that night and not sleeping too much because of my long nap (why I hate long naps), although I could only sleep for about 4 hours before I woke up and couldn't fall back asleep.

The next day, since I didn't sleep too much the night before, was tired, so I decided to take a nap at like 6. I couldn't fall asleep and the alarm was about to wake me up, so I thought '**** it,' and turned the alarm off, and decided to let myself wake myself up (usually with naps I naturally do this after no longer than an hour). Well, I ended up sleeping for like 4 hours. Had dinner, drank a little bit with my friends, and had to turn in very early because I had a lot of preparation to do for my class. I felt tired and couldn't focus, so I passed out at like 2.30, and set my alarm for 7 (woke up earlier than that and couldn't fall back asleep). Prepped all morning, went to work, got home at 7. I decided to take a nap, and this time I set my alarm and was going to wake up no matter what.

Well, for the first time since college, I reverted to my old habit of turning my alarm off in my sleep. I just woke up and it's 2 AM. I took a 7 hour nap and my body feels completely out of whack. I haven't even had dinner yet. I have 2PM class tomorrow, but I have no idea how the **** I'm supposed to sleep tonight. I wanted to have a good night's sleep because tomorrow night my friends and I are going to drink a lot and watch the champion's league games (they happen at like 6 AM here and we've avoided checking the internet the last couple of days). I need to be well-rested, and I won't watch them now because it won't be as fun to know the ending.

Anyways, does anyone have any stories like this where your sleep schedule is really ****** up? My body is actually used to me napping for hours during the day time (something I never do) and hardly sleeping at night. And perhaps more importantly, how can I get sleep tonight?

 

[samloveitt]

when i first had fm i was about 12 (16 now) cant remember what fm it was got really in to it stayed up to 7 in the morning and slept to 5 in the afternoon for like a week then when i had to get up at 6:30 for school i was ******

 

[Raphael.]

It aint ****** but I hate it when I wake up at 6AM so I have ample time to get ready then I've just fallen asleep again and it's nearly time for school.

 

[Cal.]

I'm a chronic insomniac and really struggle to control my sleep schedule. It's at the point where I'd rather stay up through the night if I have to be up for anything the following morning as I know that I cannot will myself to sleep and then wake up in time for it to be worth my while. Alarms don't work for me since I turn them off (even if I set 5 at various times), but they also interrupt my sleep and make me sleep for longer as a consequence. Tried controlling every variable which people think could be responsible for it, but the real problem is that my mind just never shuts the **** up.

 

[tubby]

Vicodin?

 

[Cal.]

Vicodin?

Not sure if you're serious or even aiming at me, but the one method I won't try is anything pharmacological. I'd rather have my ****** up sleep than become dependent on drugs to sleep.

 

[AdamStott]

because im currently at college my sleep schedule is fine but when im on term for 2 weeks (or even better summer term which is 7 weeks ) then my sleep schedule becomes 'stay awake till around 6-7am sleep in to 3pm'

 

[Jake]

I'm a chronic insomniac and really struggle to control my sleep schedule. It's at the point where I'd rather stay up through the night if I have to be up for anything the following morning as I know that I cannot will myself to sleep and then wake up in time for it to be worth my while. Alarms don't work for me since I turn them off (even if I set 5 at various times), but they also interrupt my sleep and make me sleep for longer as a consequence. Tried controlling every variable which people think could be responsible for it, but the real problem is that my mind just never shuts the **** up.

I'm exactly the same.

To the OP, have you tried staying up all night, then staying awake all day, without taking any form of nap? Then hitting the hay about 10pm? This usally fixes my sleep schedule, although like Cal. i fall back into my regular pattern very quickly.

It's very difficult between the hours of 3pm and 7pm to try and stay awake, i find it helps if you are outside or doing some form of activity.

The stay awake all night all day thing will drain you totally, and you should be able to get in a full nights sleep, provided you don't sleep in the following morning you shoud be able to reset your body clock from there.

 

[curtis290]

I'm a chronic insomniac and really struggle to control my sleep schedule. It's at the point where I'd rather stay up through the night if I have to be up for anything the following morning as I know that I cannot will myself to sleep and then wake up in time for it to be worth my while. Alarms don't work for me since I turn them off (even if I set 5 at various times), but they also interrupt my sleep and make me sleep for longer as a consequence. Tried controlling every variable which people think could be responsible for it, but the real problem is that my mind just never shuts the **** up.

I know how you feel, often times my insomnia stems from not being able to stop thinking at night. Even during the time period in college when I was working my *** off and on the crew team, I couldn't fall asleep. It would be 5 AM and I'd have to wake up in 4 hours and I'd be both mentally and physically exhausted (crew is very hard) and yet I would try to fall asleep and couldn't stop thinking. For me, weed helps a lot, not sure if you'd consider smoking it but this is one of the medicinal purposes that it is extremely useful for. When I have weed I never have insomnia problems (though of course if I wake up at 5 PM there's no way I can fall asleep early, even with weed).

Vicodin?

In a foreign country, can't find the stuff. No weed either.

 

[Donnelly1]

I'm i the only one who clicked on thinking this was a training schedule.
ON TOPIC: usually have a good sleep pattern during the week but **** it up at the weekend so i am shattered and takes to wednesday to back to normal

 

[curtis290]

I'm exactly the same.

To the OP, have you tried staying up all night, then staying awake all day, without taking any form of nap? Then hitting the hay about 10pm? This usally fixes my sleep schedule, although like Cal. i fall back into my regular pattern very quickly.

It's very difficult between the hours of 3pm and 7pm to try and stay awake, i find it helps if you are outside or doing some form of activity.

The stay awake all night all day thing will drain you totally, and you should be able to get in a full nights sleep, provided you don't sleep in the following morning you shoud be able to reset your body clock from there.

Yeah I thought about doing that, and it usually does work. The problem is that I feel like **** at work that day and it's really hard to lecture on no sleep. I would do it, except the problem is I'm going out drinking and watching footie tomorrow night...I have to be somewhat rested or else I'll be miserable and passing out throughout the games. The other issue is that the next night I'm going out on a date, a very late one at that, and I don't want my sleep schedule to be too messed up for that.

 

[Cal.]

I know how you feel, often times my insomnia stems from not being able to stop thinking at night. Even during the time period in college when I was working my *** off and on the crew team, I couldn't fall asleep. It would be 5 AM and I'd have to wake up in 4 hours and I'd be both mentally and physically exhausted (crew is very hard) and yet I would try to fall asleep and couldn't stop thinking. For me, weed helps a lot, not sure if you'd consider smoking it but this is one of the medicinal purposes that it is extremely useful for. When I have weed I never have insomnia problems (though of course if I wake up at 5 PM there's no way I can fall asleep early, even with weed).



In a foreign country, can't find the stuff. No weed either.

I'd be more likely to try weed for it than most other forms of sleep control, but I've never done it and am still uneasy with the idea of using any drugs to help sleep.

 

[tubby]

Not sure if you're serious or even aiming at me, but the one method I won't try is anything pharmacological. I'd rather have my ****** up sleep than become dependent on drugs to sleep.

Well Vicodin was a joke answer, there are many many many other drugs better suited to sleep, but as you said, becoming dependent on a drug for sleep would be **** (Eminem certainly bitched about it for like 3 albums). I'd say weed might? Person to person, knocks some people out keeps others awake so

 

[LP94]

Bed at 23:30 - 0:00. Wake up 7:30 or 8:00. Fully rested and ready for the day

 

[Becky]

My sleeping pattern isn't too bad. I can't go to sleep before 12am it has to be between 1am and 2am i go to sleep otherwise i won't sleep well at all and i also have to have 7 hours sleep i dunno why but i have to have atleast 7 hrs each night.

 

[Steve*]

I sleep from around 4 or 5 am until bout 10 or 11 in the morning. If i sleep for more than six hours im in a cranky mood the following day. It doesnt bother me that much really as it isnt too late when i get up.
There are days that i only sleep for maybe 3 hours if i have to be up at 7 or 8. Never really bothers me that much.

 

[Shay Given]

During the week: I go to sleep at about 2am wake up at 6.30am sleep on the bus to school for an hour sleep during ICT, and study class's.
Weekends: I go to sleep at about 4am(6/7if im out that night) wake up at about 2/3pm
But im starting to try and get up earlier because my weekend becomes wasted really :S

 

[nlx]

i'm nocturnal myself for sure. It depends on my shift if i can actually stay up that late. When i was younger i could skip a night for learning etc. easily. Now i really can use my sleep. But i wake up too early the recent years. Then you turn over 1 time, 2 times and 3 times but can't get back to sleep with like 2 hours left before you actually need to get up, so you get of bed. After a couple of those days i get tired earlier in the evening and in better rhythm. Then my working schedule changes again and i need to find another rhythm.

 

[Rockyboy]

If you have a dog, take him for a long walk or go jogging. Try to tire yourself with sport activity around 9 PM and you'll sleep like a baby |) Works for me at all times.

 

[TommoNewton]

what i suggest is find out how long sleep is best for you , then decide what time you want to go to sleep and what time you want to wake

make yourself a rule that you an only go to sleep during those hours , its simple but very effective.