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Trouble Sleeping
Gandalf_the_Crazed
VigiloConfidoRegistered User regular
VigiloConfidoRegistered User regular
Mmk, I have a rather odd sleep condition. Or maybe it's not all that odd.
I feel like I am on a normal schedule, in terms of the number of hours that I spend awake vs. hours spent sleeping. However, despite my best efforts, I am unable to shift that schedule into proper alignment with a normal person's life. I end up awake to 4:00 AM or something, then sleep late the next day. I sleep the proper number of hours, more or less, it's just that I can't make that proper number of hours occur at the proper time of day.
I've taken to using allergy-sinus medication to knock myself out at night (in fact, I took some just a while ago), so I can deal. But that's not a habit I want to stick to. Any suggestions?
I feel like I am on a normal schedule, in terms of the number of hours that I spend awake vs. hours spent sleeping. However, despite my best efforts, I am unable to shift that schedule into proper alignment with a normal person's life. I end up awake to 4:00 AM or something, then sleep late the next day. I sleep the proper number of hours, more or less, it's just that I can't make that proper number of hours occur at the proper time of day.
I've taken to using allergy-sinus medication to knock myself out at night (in fact, I took some just a while ago), so I can deal. But that's not a habit I want to stick to. Any suggestions?
Gandalf_the_Crazed on
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If a normal day had an additional 8-12 hours I would be a superhuman in terms of efficiency.
Shogun Streams Vidya
Basically, your body will sleep when it's good and ready. Taking medicine (especially allergy medicine - I'd avoid using drugs in a way not intended by the packaging) will just exacerbate it.
So, if you can't sleep, then get out of your room and go read a book for an hour or so and let your brain wind down.
Thank you, Rubacava!
You might want to try this, I heard some good things about it from people who tried. Check the wiki but as far as I am aware, side effects are negligible and taking too much does nothing (although the wiki mentions it is counter-productive).
As for the rest, how is your sleep hygiene? Do you do anything else in bed besides sleeping and having 'fun' (:winky:) with your partner? If so, try and do those activities elsewhere, make sure your brain associates bed==sleep and not bed==gaming, or bed==work.
Also, I have heard multiple times that timing your dinners is the key to avoiding jet-lag...and having a proper circadian cycle. So if anything, try to space your dinners out over the day. Have a lot of food during breakfast, a little during lunch (for work reasons) and a medium amount for dinner.
Shogun Streams Vidya
As others have said, no caffeine 6 hours before you plan on going to sleep, get a good bit of exercise during the day. The breakfast thing sounds like a good idea too, I might have to try that to help some of my problems.
Anyway, i used to have the exact same problem as you. Id go to sleep at 6am and wake up at 2pm. Every day. Id fall asleep instantly and wake up with no help. You know what finally got me on a real schedule? Getting a job that required me to wake up early. When i was doing the 6am-2pm sleep thing, i had nothing going on. Literally. I had no job, no worries about money, and basically did whatever the fuck i wanted every day. Thats not conducive to changing your life style. Theres no incentive to actually get up earlier, or go to bed at a more normal time.
Trust me, if you get a job where you need to start at 7am, or even 9am, within the first week you'll be on a more normal schedule. The first day you might fuck up, and say, go to bed at 2pm... but when you have to sit at your desk all day and try your fucking hardest not to fall asleep, youll quickly realise its way easier to go to bed at 8pm to be up for 4am and at work for 7, than it is to push yourself to stay up and feel like absolute hell the next day.
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However, the longer I'm around, the more I realize that Zeon, as ignorant as he sounds, is almost completely right. I've had a variety of different phases in my life between school, working, school, working, kids, school, and working, and I have to say that the harder I'm working at the time, the easier it is for me to wind up on a decent sleeping schedule. When left to my own devices even for a weekend, I tend to end up staying up till 4am and waking up at noon for two days, but in the past I've had a few rigorous jobs with ridiculously early start times, and your body adjusts to that.
Before consulting a chemical alternative, I would suggest setting an alarm clock and waking up at 8am for 14 days straight, getting breakfast and exercise, and then at the end honestly evaluate your sleep schedule. As cool as it is to be an insomniac, drinking black coffee and smoking cigarettes as you work on creative masterpieces at 4am, I think if you're truthful with yourself you'll find that you can be on a normal sleep schedule and just prefer a later one when given a choice.
I could be wrong, though. That's a hefty homework assignment, and I don't think the suggestion will amount to anything; too hard, and it's too easy to pop something or smoke some weed. But if it were me, I would probably do the experiment before I claimed a disorder of some kind.
I agree, this would be the best. However, given the negligible risk associated with melatonin, you might want to try this assisted by it.
Also, you should exercise, a lot and as early possible.
Well, sometimes real advice makes you sound like a dick.
I mean, i could have said "Go get sleeping pills" because thats easy and itll cost you like 10 dollars, but thats shit advice and doesnt fix the actual problem here.
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Best solution I have found is a natural substance called 'valerium' which can be bought from a healthfood store or your chemist in insomnia pill form. Its a natural relaxant and it is a legal over the counter sister drug of valium. Take it before trying to go to bed. If you have it and dont go to sleep you wont feel much. It just helps you relax your muscles and sleep better. it also improves the quality of your sleep with less hours slept