Not getting to sleep on time?

GreenGablesJes

I have been stuck in a rut the last few days that i seem i can't get out of. i work from 3-11pm and get home around 11:45-midnight. i was able to get to bed by 1am or even 2 am but the last few days i haven't been able to get to sleep till 4am and when i try and wake up at 930 to get ready and exercise i end up sleeping longer. like today i couldn't get to sleep till 4am and i slept till11am. i just can't figure it out why i can't get to sleep earlier, i don't have any caffine after 6pm. so i really don't know what to do. has anyone had this problem???

KatyLynn01

I work 9-5 but usually go to bed around midnight. I don't drink caffiene after like 2pm or I don't sleep as well. Do you have a routine before bed?

cmriverside

When I worked nights, it was difficult to go to sleep immediately afterwards.

If you think about it, it makes sense. You're all wound up from work. Most people get oof work around 5 and don't go to sleep until 10 or 11. Couldn't you work out right before work, at like 1:00 in the afternoon? The gym would be wide open!

cbaines74

I have sleep trouble, but I take a prescription med to help me with that. Try a Tylenol PM as soon as you get home from work, its not addictive and your body will feel well rested and you can get up still in time to get your workout in.:yawn:

lisapickering

Try doing some yoga or stretching before you go to bed. It's a good way to transition your body from working to sleeping.

SeaChele77

Are you able to have tea at work? I like to try to be in bed by 9:30p and asleep by 10p at the latest. On nights that I can tell my sleep switch is not clicking I drink Yogi Tea Bedtime Tea around 8:00p.

It is all organic and caffinine free. It has Valerian Root, Chamomile, Licorice, Rasberry Leaf and much more. It helps your brain turn off. I highly recommend it!!

sarahlyzzibeth

A lot of things can affect ability to sleep... and many of them have to do with your nighttime rituals. I've read multiple articles that reccommend not using the computer or watching television within an hour before trying to sleep because the bright lights of the screens tend to trick your brain into thinking it's daytime and should therefore be awake, keeping you awake at night when you're trying to sleep in your bed. Another thing many articles suggest is hiding the alarm clock so that you can't see it from your bed. If you are watching the minutes tick by, it will only worry you more that you're not getting enough sleep and worrying like that will keep you awake. Also, they recommend not doing anything in your bed besides sleeping (and sex), because doing things like reading and watching tv and being on your laptop/ipod/phone etc. will dissasociate your bed with the idea of sleep. I've done this for years now... I only only only sleep in bed. No reading, no sitting on it, no laptop, no tv while in bed, and because of this, whenever I get into bed, my body automatically knows "okay, it's time to sleep" and it's not confused by "well maybe she wants to stay up and read/talk on the phone/etc" because I never do any of those things in that setting. Likewise, lying in bed when you CAN'T sleep is also bad because then you'll start to associate your bed with not being able to sleep, which will keep you awake even if you're tired. So if you can't sleep, get up and go elsewhere to wait until you're able to sleep and try again.
I know it's really hard to not entertain yourself with the computer or tv,especially if you can't sleep, but it'll only stimulate your brain and make you more awake than if you didn't. One thing that helps me is getting ready for bed with a ritual that I only do at night that helps my body know it's bed time and helps me "wind down." Of course, there's the usual washing face/brushing teeth/putting on pajamas that we all do, but in addition I always read my Bible before going to bed (take note I read it at my desk, not in bed), which sets the mood for me at least (maybe if that's not something you do, anything else relaxing could work, it could be doing a sudoku or preparing the kids lunches for tomorrow or anything else you do daily that could become a "trigger" for inducing sleep). Another thing I enjoy doing before bed is stretching. A few light stretches to help your body relax and to loosen up your back and such can really help your body feel ready to sleep.
Of course, all of these "fixes" take time to establish the habit, but hopefully these suggestions help!

tawojcik

this may sound strange coming from a guy...but how about a hot bath? I had muscle problems in the past which required me to soak...and now on my "off days" (between runs), I still do it to soak my leg muscles.

I am the type that usually takes like 3 hours to unwind after I get home. I find that this hot soak often speeds that process expecially if I turn the bathroom light off.

I have also found that as I lose weight and exercise, I don't need as much sleep, part of this may just be your body readjusting...