Messed up sleep schedule

[New Frontiersman]

Where I live it's about 6:15 am as I begin to type this message. I have been up since 10 in the evening alternating between working and goofing off.

I have managed to somehow mismanage my sleep schedule so I fall asleep around 1 to 4 in the afternoon, get up around 6 for dinner, work a little, go back to bed and wake up anywhere from 10 to midnight. At which point I get started on my homework, and stay up until my first class starts at 9. and then start the cycle all over again.

I know this is my own fault, I had too many late nights doing homework and took to many naps to make up for that, so I guess my body just fell into a rhythm. I still get enough sleep each night... day... whatever, but I still feel somewhat silly for having fallen into this routine.

So I guess following that overly long lead in I'll ask my question: Does anyone here have a weird sleep schedule? How or why did you manage to get it? Odd work hours? Too many late nights?

 

[Lilani]

I had a weird sleep schedule some days when I worked at Disney World. I remember one day I got off work at 3AM, meaning I got home at about 4-4:30. Then I had to be back into work that same day at 1PM, meaning I had to be on the bus at about 11:30. That was a fun day. I actually wanted to get the shifts within 8 hours of each other so I'd get double pay on the second shift, I had shower stuff, a change of clothes, and a blanket and pillows all ready to sleep there in the Magic Kingdom. But then it rained that evening and my stand closed early so I ended up getting off earlier than anticipated. So I just went on back to my apartment and slept in my own bed. I did end up spending one night in MK, but that was to avoid a horrific roommate.

 

[Tazzy da Devil]

Ah, this happens to me all the time. I dunno why, whenever I don't need to be awake at a certain time (for school, work, whatever), I suddenly become nocturnal. I guess my body just works that way. I got a prescription from the doctor to fix it whatever it gets out of whack, so it's all good.

 

[New Frontiersman]

I used to naturally become nocturnal due to problems falling asleep (actually diagnosed insomnia, not some kind of stayed up to late once thing) as I mentioned in Lilani's thread. So for about half a year I got up at 9pm and went to bed at noon.

I have a usual rhythm now.

If you want to get yours back to normal, you have two options:

1) If you have the free time, just go to bed one hour later every night. After about a week you will be getting up at normal times. This is the extremely lazy option. If you want to fuck up your sleep schedule so bad, its actually right again, this is for you.

2) Get 1 or 2 cans of energy drink. When you would usually go to sleep, drink one of them. Go outside and do something, even if you just take a long walk. If you can make it to about 3pm without falling asleep, you are good to go. At that point your body will start using the very last energy it has and that will get you through to 9 in the evening, at which point you can fall asleep.

If you are going with number 2, some tips: don't sit around in front of the PC. Be active. Don't eat warm food. And for the love of God, don't have sex or masturbate.

I was probably planning to something like option 1 when I found the time. I was probably going to try just slowly adjusting my sleep schedule until it got right again. And stop taking naps. Those seem to really mess me up.

As for number 2, I can understand why I might not want to just sit around in front of the PC after drinking one or two cans of energy drink but why shouldn't I eat warm food, have sex, or masturbate?

 

[Paladin2905]

I used to naturally become nocturnal due to problems falling asleep (actually diagnosed insomnia, not some kind of stayed up to late once thing) as I mentioned in Lilani's thread. So for about half a year I got up at 9pm and went to bed at noon.

I have a usual rhythm now.

If you want to get yours back to normal, you have two options:

1) If you have the free time, just go to bed one hour later every night. After about a week you will be getting up at normal times. This is the extremely lazy option. If you want to fuck up your sleep schedule so bad, its actually right again, this is for you.

2) Get 1 or 2 cans of energy drink. When you would usually go to sleep, drink one of them. Go outside and do something, even if you just take a long walk. If you can make it to about 3pm without falling asleep, you are good to go. At that point your body will start using the very last energy it has and that will get you through to 9 in the evening, at which point you can fall asleep.

If you are going with number 2, some tips: don't sit around in front of the PC. Be active. Don't eat warm food. And for the love of God, don't have sex or masturbate.

I was probably planning to something like option 1 when I found the time. I was probably going to try just slowly adjusting my sleep schedule until it got right again. And stop taking naps. Those seem to really mess me up.

As for number 2, I can understand why I might not want to just sit around in front of the PC after drinking one or two cans of energy drink but why shouldn't I eat warm food, have sex, or masturbate?

Because warm food and sex make you tired. Brain releases some kind of fucking chemical that makes you drowsy.

I'd actually seriously reccomend against option 2. If you're messing with your sleep schedule, the energy drinks are likely to do some screwed up things to you. I know when I drink them on low sleep or odd hours, then go to sleep anytime in the next day or so, I end up sleepwalking. (Very disconcerting and a bit scary).

Your best option is really to gradually realign yourself, as in option one. I had this problem in college, wasn't convinced it was a problem until I was 180 degrees out of phase with the rest of the world, which really limits your ability to do things you need to do.

 

[New Frontiersman]

2) Get 1 or 2 cans of energy drink. When you would usually go to sleep, drink one of them. Go outside and do something, even if you just take a long walk. If you can make it to about 3pm without falling asleep, you are good to go. At that point your body will start using the very last energy it has and that will get you through to 9 in the evening, at which point you can fall asleep.

If you are going with number 2, some tips: don't sit around in front of the PC. Be active. Don't eat warm food. And for the love of God, don't have sex or masturbate.

As for number 2, I can understand why I might not want to just sit around in front of the PC after drinking one or two cans of energy drink but why shouldn't I eat warm food, have sex, or masturbate?

Because warm food and sex make you tired. Brain releases some kind of fucking chemical that makes you drowsy.

Ah. That makes sense. I can see how that might counteract the energy drink. That's interesting.

I'd actually seriously recommend against option 2. If you're messing with your sleep schedule, the energy drinks are likely to do some screwed up things to you. I know when I drink them on low sleep or odd hours, then go to sleep anytime in the next day or so, I end up sleepwalking. (Very disconcerting and a bit scary).

Your best option is really to gradually realign yourself, as in option one. I had this problem in college, wasn't convinced it was a problem until I was 180 degrees out of phase with the rest of the world, which really limits your ability to do things you need to do.

Oh wow. That's not good. I'll definitely avoid option 2 then. I was never much of an energy drink person anyway.

Yeah, I'm going to try and get to bed at a decent hour tonight and avoid any naps. hopefully that will get me back on the path to a regular sleep schedule.

 

[BathorysGraveland]

I, too, have fucked up sleeping patterns. Just this day, I ended up sleeping from around 1:30 PM right up to around 8:45 PM. So yeah, no sleep for me tonight and I'll end up going to sleep at about 1:30-2:00 PM again if I can't stay awake the whole day and try to conquer it quickly. It's annoying, because one day I will be able to hack the entire day and go to sleep at around 8:00 PM and I'll be back on track. But I always end up staying awake for too long one night and it goes to shit and starts all over again. Damn annoying.

 

[Amethyst Wind]

I'm constantly having to switch between different time zones in my communications so I've given up on the idea of getting any regular sleep. I work on 12-hour rotations right now, about 4 of those I'm asleep.

 

[dave1004]

I've always had a sleep problem, something to do with delayed signals in the brain. I can sleep from 6 AM to 2 PM, and wake up perfectly energized, hopping out of bed. Yet, if I sleep from 12 to 8 AM, then I'll wake up a dead zombie. I can't think, I can't move. My bed that felt like rocks the previous night is now made up of clouds and rainbows.

It's a *****, but with healthy exercise, plenty of sunlight and good food and drink (For the love of God, don't rely on sugary "Energy" drinks, or anything of that kind!) you will be able to accomplish many things.

When you get up, GET UP. Fast. Second you wake up. Go for a short jog, do a bit of yoga, maybe stretch the muscles out a bit. Waking up with a blast of sunlight in your face WILL help you jump into the action, so remove those curtains!