How can I regain my "normal" sleeping schedule?

Question

Okay, so summer was this big jumble of big mess so my sleeping schedule got way off. I can't fall asleep before 12 and I can't wake up before 11am. I tried to make myself go to bed earlier and ended up lying there for three hours. Then I tried to make myself wake up early but that ended up with me falling asleep in the middle of the day, which kind of contributed to me not being tired until 3am ish. =/

So any advice on how I can get myself to go to bed around 9pm-10pm and wake up at 6am- 6:30am??

Thanks!

Answer 1

If you have a few days I would just stay up later and later.  I went from working overnights to day time, and it took about 3 days, but eventually you stay up for about 24 hours and then you're back on track.

I would stay up until 5 am if you can, then wake up naturally around 2-3pm.  Then the next night you will be able to stay up until 9 or 10 am, then sleep all day until 7-8 pm.  Then that next day you stay up about 24 hours and go to bed at 9 pm.  It works well for me.

If that doesn't work or you don't have time, then just go to bed at 3 am and wake up at 6 and be tired all day, then you'll go to be early that night.

Answer 2

First off, start dimming down the lights about 30 minutes to an hour before you want to hit the sheets.  Secondly, don't drink any caffeine for 3 hours before you want to hit the sheets; instead drink milk or water.  (I read those 2 from a doctor in an article on this very subject).

Also, you could sit in bed with only a lamp on next to you & read. Reading tends to put me to sleep (unless it's just a really, really great book).  You could also pop in a CD with natural sound effects (like rain or waterfalls) and listen to that as you lay in bed to doze off.  Buy some lavender pillow spray for your pillow (or another similar product from the Aromatherapy section of Bath & Body Works), which will help relax you.

Set your alarm to wake you really loudly in the morning, so that you get an instant jolt.  Take a multi-vitamin in the morning.  Take a shower in the morning to help wake up.  Turning the tv on when you wake up can also help, or just walk around the house real quick to get the blood flowing.

Ultimately, it's all about getting back into your "normal" pattern.  It usually takes 2 weeks to adjust to your old schedule; (It takes some people even longer than that)....

Answer 3

Quick way to make yourself go to sleep is taking some sedatives, Over the Counter like Benadryl ( aka Diphenhydramine) You should take this about an hour or so before the set time you would like to go to sleep so around 8pm so you can be sleepy (drowsy) at 9pm, and then you can just set your alarm at what ever time you need to wake yourself up. This can be a sleep aid to help you get back to your normal sleeping patterns.

Answer 4

im have the exact same problem.

around 9 or 10ish you should read a book or listen to music. something to calm you down.

as for awking up, i always set my alarm for whatever time i have to wake up in the morning.

you dont have to stay awake when the alarm rngs you just have to make a mental note for weather or not you got enough sleep.

doing this is kinda like a wake up call to let your body know that your going to have to wake up at that time from now on,

hope i helped ya!