Changing sleep patterns

[LKD]

Whobee, another thing you can do, depending on how much you choose to invest is purchase a blu light lamp. They're designed to help you wake up by exposing your body to bright light that will help you wake up and feel rested. Immediately after waking up, open your blinds (as well as every window in your house as you move around), soaking in sunlight for about 30 minutes.

This is the model I use - http://www.amazon.com/Philips-goLITE-BLU-Therapy-Device/dp/B001I45XL8

Another technique you should use is something called the caffeine nap. Caffeine takes about 30-40 minutes to impact your body. So, how it works is, you drink some coffee before a power nap (total time including dozing off is 30 minutes) and just as you're waking up, the caffeine is kicking in. You'll benefit from both being recharged from the nap and the extra push from the caffeine.

I dont' see how that caffeine technique would work for many... People like me who have trouble falling asleep right away would be fucked. Its almost impossible to fall asleep within 30minutes, especially when my mind is saying to me "I need to fall asleep before the caffeine kicks in within 30 mins or so" xD

 

[milehigh]

Try a can of "Bob Marley's Mellow Blend" from the health food store.... put me out like a light.

 

[milehigh]

And this for background music will make you relax.

 

[djk]

I dont' see how that caffeine technique would work for many... People like me who have trouble falling asleep right away would be fucked. Its almost impossible to fall asleep within 30minutes, especially when my mind is saying to me "I need to fall asleep before the caffeine kicks in within 30 mins or so" xD

Power naps are something one must cultivate just like a healthy sleeping cycle.

A caffeine nap is the ultimate power nap.

 

[whobee]

Turning off all the glowing screens about an hour before bed has helped quite a lot. I get up before my clock radio now like when I used to be more normally tuned. Also feeling more alert throughout the morning (as long as I've gone to bed at a reasonable time). The summery weather might be a part of that.

 

[dj1470]

I limit my sleep to 7 hours max
Any more and its hard to get to sleep the next night
If I get 6-7 hours/night I am perfectly fine and I am tired at days end

 

[djk]

Turning off all the glowing screens about an hour before bed has helped quite a lot. I get up before my clock radio now like when I used to be more normally tuned. Also feeling more alert throughout the morning (as long as I've gone to bed at a reasonable time). The summery weather might be a part of that.

Good to hear you're sleeping better.

 

[dr tongue]

How do you change your sleep patterns quickly? I'd like to become a morning person and go to sleep earlier instead of staying up late and being sleepy in the morning. When I try to go to bed earlier now I feel tired until I'm actually in bed, then I'm alert again. Prefer a non-medicinal/narcotic method.

Go to sleep at a set time every night. Get rid of all distractions like TV, and do not elevate your head with multiple pillows. make sure room is quiet and dark. Do not eat or drink (especially alcohol) for 2 hours before retiring. Set your alarm for the same wakeup time every morning, even on days off. Finally, if it's winter make sure room is adequately humidified. Good luck.

 

[Lustology]

I sleep 5-7 hours max. There's 2 or 3 days in the month I'll sleep about 10 hours but I have a specific time to sleep and get up.

 

[FatOne]

If I need to readjust my sleep schedule, going to bed earlier doesn't seem to do it much. One thing I've read IIRC in the Globe and Mail is the idea of sleeping 3 hours later every day. Basically for a week you go to bed later and later and really tired. It is rough but it does work like a charm to reset your clock... until you find yourself saying up late and screwing everything up again. I have no cure for that one.