How do you stop the cycle of sleep problems?

Question

I'm the kind of person who needs 10 hours of sleep at night - unfortunately, I get closer to 5 or 6 because my boyfriend and I work different schedules. Usually, I just sleep a good 12 hours each night over the weekend & I'm fine during the week. This isn't the case this week though. Even on the weekend I felt the need to take a nap - it wasn't just that I felt sleepy, but that I couldn't keep my eyes open for anything. Yesterday i refused to take a nap, knowing I'd have to come to work today and wanted to get good rest at night. That didn't happen. As soon as I went to bed, I coudln't sleep. Mind wasn't racing or anything like that, I just couldn't get to sleep - then when I did, I couldn't stay asleep.
Now I'm starting to feel drowsy again. What can I do to stop this cycle & make it through the day?

Answer 1

You managed to stay awake until your preferred bedtime and then could not sleep. You are correct about cycles. One normally gets drowsey around bed time. If you fight off that drowseyness you then become wide awake again. Understandable.

To reprogram your internal clock, stay awake until your preferred bedtime but start winding down about an hour before hand. Take a long hot bath or shower, drink some warm milk. Turn down the lights, turn off the TV. Generally try to slow your mind down and induce the drowsy state.

Now when you do go to bed you will be much more likely to succeed in falling asleep. Succeed for two nights in a row and you should now be successfully reporgramed.

10 hours is too much try to stick to an 8 hour sleep cycle. You should be tired by the end of a normal day and wake up pretty easily. If you sleep too long, you have a much harder time waking and then a much harder time falling asleep again that night.

Remember, the daylight/nightlight hours vary with the season.

Answer 2

This could be myself asking this question. You might want to read an article on sleep inertia. I have included one below. One of the ways I have found to avoid the "too tired to stay awake" dilemma is to drink something with caffeine (soda, coffee, tea). No caffeine after lunch tho. Also, don't sit for long periods of time. Move around, go chat with a friend for a minute or two. Keep your mind busy. Walk after you eat lunch and dinner, even a short time will help. You don't need to jog. To avoid those night time mind-racing problems, keep a notepad by your bed and write down anything that is on your mind. This helps to eliminate the need to think about it, but ensures that you won't forget it.

Answer 3

Having the same schedule every night is the most important thing you can do. Force yourself to go to bed say by 11pm. then get up for work at whatever time you do,like 7am. I used to get along with 4-5 hrs sleep and work.and I know I like at least 8hrs. Now retired my schedule is totally different. I go to bed about 3am and get up about 12noon. Of course I get up for the bathroom too. When you begin to feel a nap coming on, get up and cook,or walk,or dance around the house,or sit on the computer.

Answer 4

chamomile tea might help before going to bed or a warm cup of milk, if you like it...no coffee or cokes after dark, though.