Bad sleeping schedule

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DexterDarko
DexterDarko Posts: 235
in Motivation and Support
For years I've been on a horrible sleeping schedule. I would stay up all night till the sun rose, and only at about 7 or 8am would I get tired and even attempt to sleep.

I have tried to get back on a schedule but it seems impossible. I even went to bed at the correct time before and still slept until 4pm by some miracle.

So, heres how my day went

Woke up at 1pm-> stayed awake to 6am-> started working out wasn't tired, took shower, etc, was getting ready to have a great day then go to sleep extremely tired->fell asleep at like 8am->just woke up at 8:30PM.

So my question is, does it matter what time i go to sleep and wake up if I sleep just as long and do the same things?

Like, could I wake up and just start eating breakfast lunch and dinner like a normal day, even if it was 4pm, or even midnight?
I don't see any other solutions as the only possible way for me to sleep is when the sun seems to be up. It's extremely stressing that I can't stay on a normal schedule and do this right.

Replies

  • Culley34
    Culley34 Posts: 224
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    Do you drink a lot of coffee? Energy drinks?
  • DexterDarko
    DexterDarko Posts: 235
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    Nope. The only thing I drink is water.

    No matter how hard I work out I never wind up being able to sleep afterwards, I only get tired once the sun rises. It's quite depressing.
  • lisa28115
    lisa28115 Posts: 17,271 Member
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    it doesn't matter what sleep schedule you have as along as it does not affect the quailty of your life

    like .... Do you have a job??? or family obligations ????

    I work nights so I have to be up all night and sleep all day

    I would prefer to sleep when its dark outside :bigsmile:
  • lisa28115
    lisa28115 Posts: 17,271 Member
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    Nope. The only thing I drink is water.

    No matter how hard I work out I never wind up being able to sleep afterwards, I only get tired once the sun rises. It's quite depressing.

    If its depressing you .... have you talked to your dr about it ???
  • Off10h8ed
    Off10h8ed Posts: 282 Member
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    Some people are just more nocturnal. I am the same way. It doesn't matter when you log what, just as long as you are keeping track of everything in the 24 hour time frame. :)
  • happymom92092
    happymom92092 Posts: 17 Member
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    the actual hours on the clock that you sleep are not as important as the total hours you sleep and how many hours straight you get good sound sleep I would think. People who work night shift have to have a schedule that is off from 9-5 people but that doesn't automatically make them less healthy. Look at the total hours sleep you get and make sure you have a regular schedule, too.
  • EmilyTwist1
    EmilyTwist1 Posts: 206 Member
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    The time of day you sleep doesn't really make a difference, but how much you sleep does. Do you normally sleep for 12 hours? That is significantly above a normal amount of sleep for a healthy adult. I'd suggest seeing your doctor about it.
  • lisa28115
    lisa28115 Posts: 17,271 Member
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    The time of day you sleep doesn't really make a difference, but how much you sleep does. Do you normally sleep for 12 hours? That is significantly above a normal amount of sleep for a healthy adult. I'd suggest seeing your doctor about it.

    12 hours is my magic number also but I work 3rd shift and I rarely get to sleep that long if I wanted to :bigsmile:
  • DexterDarko
    DexterDarko Posts: 235
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    Ha, I haven't seen a doctor in years. I got so many problems in so many areas that once I get there the poor doctor I get will be bombarded. The problem is, I don't want to have this sleeping schedule, but I can't change it. I feel like a vampire :C

    I do enjoy seeing the sunrise though.

    Well, I ate breakfast at 6am and haven't ate anything since and it's 9:45pm. Not sure what ... to eat... and call it.... but ok.
  • runningfromzombies
    runningfromzombies Posts: 386 Member
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    Ha, I haven't seen a doctor in years. I got so many problems in so many areas that once I get there the poor doctor I get will be bombarded. The problem is, I don't want to have this sleeping schedule, but I can't change it. I feel like a vampire :C

    I do enjoy seeing the sunrise though.

    Well, I ate breakfast at 6am and haven't ate anything since and it's 9:45pm. Not sure what ... to eat... and call it.... but ok.

    It's going to take a lot of effort to change a sleep schedule that has been so ingrained over so many years. It took long enough for me to attempt to change mine, and it wasn't even THAT far off normal (well, normal to a college student...).

    The big thing is, if you decide to start going to bed at a more conventional time, you have to set alarms--and no matter how late it is by the time you fall asleep (it'll be hard), you HAVE to get up when that alarm goes off. That way you're tired by the time "normal" bedtime rolls around the next day. If you sleep in, though, you screw it up, and it's an endless cycle stuck to that same schedule.

    Good luck. (Oh, and if you end up keeping this schedule, I wouldn't stress about what to call meals--when you wake up at night you can call it breakfast, lunch, and have dinner when the sun rises, haha. It doesn't really matter.)
  • lisa28115
    lisa28115 Posts: 17,271 Member
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    YOU ARE A KID....

    KIDS ARE VAMPIRES THESE DAYS
  • lleelloo
    lleelloo Posts: 32 Member
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    I'm in the same situation! Can't sleep till the sun comes up, and then wake up around 2pm and then it starts allover again.

    How I got out of this habit last time was just resetting my body clock- stayed awake all night and went to bed around 6pm. You have to make sure you set an alarm or get someone to wake you up around 6 or 7 am though. During the morning, make sure you tire yourself out by going out and exercising. Then, establish a bedtime routine - no tv/computers a few hours before, or anything that will stimulate the brain - get yourself a reeeeally boring book or some meditation tapes, and with luck, you'll fall asleep early. Then its just a matter of forcing yourself out of bed early next day and keeping busy.
  • bbrat333
    bbrat333 Posts: 158 Member
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    My bf is naturally like that, when I get stuck into his schedule (I have to work days) I take a sleeping pill 3 days in a row 10-12 hours before I have to get up (they knock me out that long) That usually gets me back on track.
  • bbrat333
    bbrat333 Posts: 158 Member
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    the actual hours on the clock that you sleep are not as important as the total hours you sleep and how many hours straight you get good sound sleep I would think. People who work night shift have to have a schedule that is off from 9-5 people but that doesn't automatically make them less healthy. Look at the total hours sleep you get and make sure you have a regular schedule, too.

    Yeah, and what they said, if you are happy with the hours, it doesn't matter when you sleep/wake as long as you get the right proportions.
  • Marie294
    Marie294 Posts: 304
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    We have a similar sleeping schedule, going to bed lately around 4-5 am...

    Doesn't seem to affect my health at all. As for logging food, I'll log my "Breakfast" as what ever the first meal of my day is.. Even if it's noon. Then just keep adding to that day until I go to bed, even though it's after midnight, I still log it all on the same day.. I don't think it matters what we call each meal, just as long as it gets logged :) (I hope that made sense, haha)
  • elisabeisme
    elisabeisme Posts: 308 Member
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    Maybe you have DSPS. It's common in teen guys. My brother has it and he picked a career that works with his body's sleep rhythm. He's a restaurant manager working evenings. He is fit and has an active social life but most of his friends work evenings too. His "breakfast" is at 1pm or so. What's your job? If you 're taking any college classes maybe you'd do best in night classes.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delayed_sleep_phase_syndrome
  • AmyFett
    AmyFett Posts: 1,607 Member
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    My sleeping schedule sucks too. Try sleeping pills? I worked nights for a while and that was over 4 years ago, I'm still messed up from it, odd as it sounds. I don't get tired until about 5 or so. REALLY sucks when you have kids you have to get up with.
  • DexterDarko
    DexterDarko Posts: 235
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    Maybe you have DSPS. It's common in teen guys. My brother has it and he picked a career that works with his body's sleep rhythm. He's a restaurant manager working evenings. He is fit and has an active social life but most of his friends work evenings too. His "breakfast" is at 1pm or so. What's your job? If you 're taking any college classes maybe you'd do best in night classes.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delayed_sleep_phase_syndrome

    That sounds alot like me. It's not like I even have a sleeping schedule, I'll stay up until I'm absolutely tired then I can finally fall asleep. I never have consistent hours, it'll go all around o.o. But I only sleep when I'm sleep deprived.
  • shady81x
    shady81x Posts: 290
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    Hey, I wonder, are u doing anything with ur life? I mean the “normal things” like work and/or school. I used to have tt sorta sleeping pattern after I left school, before I started work (aka the “slacker period”). I didn’t have a regular sleep schedule at all… and it wasn’t cos I didn’t try. I only fall asleep when I’m exhausted, at times even while watching TV or playing a video game. I’d sleep probably 8-9hrs, sometimes more, and wake up normally w/o an alarm or anything.

    During my slacker period, breakfast was what most others would call dinner; my lunch was supper; dinner breakfast… etc. I wasn’t home all the time either, but when I went out, it was when the sky was dark… never in the day probably cos everyone else I knew was either at work or in school.

    Anyway that sorted itself out after I got a full-time job. Transition phase was WTF srsly, but I somehow got used it it evenutally. I don't deny that I'm still quite 'nocturnal', and will probably never be a morning person. Mhmm... hence I reckon, it’s really nothing much to worry about :)
  • Indygirl_81
    Indygirl_81 Posts: 142 Member
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    I work an un-natural schedule, so I know it can be hard.... I work from 2am-10:30am... some days I don't go to sleep until 4-6pm and have to get up between 12-1am.... I think you should sleep when your body needs it. As long as you don't feel sleep deprived and can hardly keep your eyes open, then I don't think it would harm your body. I used to have a friend who slept (on average less than 4 hours per night), and he was just fine daily, because that is what his body needed.

    I made my food logging times consistent to what I feel is a good schedule for my work schedule... ie:
    12am-4am, 4am-8am, 8am-12pm, 12pm-4pm, 4pm-8pm, and 8pm-12am.

    I rarely eat any foods during the 8pm-12am time-frame... but this works for me.

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