How to fix a sleeping pattern

Hi everyone,

My sleeping pattern is seriously messed up. I'm a college/university student, so one night out can ruin it for a long time and it's hard to get it back on track (so far I've been unsuccessful)

I eat dinner at 6-7ish, and I don't actually have snacks after that unless I'm starving, so it's not like an excess sugar rush keeping me awake, and if I am really hungry I either drink a lot of water or eat something like a piece of toast...

And then I get into bed at 11pm and try to drop off...nope. Not happening. I lie there for hours and hours sometimes! So I turn the lights back on and read for an hour, and then try again. Still nothing. Recently it's been worse than ever, I can't get to sleep and don't feel tired until at least 5am, and some days during the week I have to wake up at 8am for classes!

Even on days where I do a lot of cardio I'm not tired at night one bit. But I can't sleep in the day because of the sun (I just can't nap lol). The only time I'm really tired is in the morning when I wake up from my three hour sleep T_T but that's obvious.

Has anyone got any good ideas on how to fix this, because I think it's starting to affect my weight and metabolism. I don't overeat to compensate, but I've still heard sleep can aid weight loss. Plus it's just plain irritating. I want to sleep! If nothing works I think I'll have to go to the doctor, but I wanted to try other remedies first :) thanks!

Replies

  • billdavismqt
    billdavismqt Posts: 11 Member
    My son is a paramedic and in one of his jobs he had a horrendous schedule (24 hours on, 24 hours off, etc) which caused sleep problems. His doctor recommended that he take melatonin. He did and this was helpful to him. I don't know speciifics such as dosage, time but this might be something to look in to.
  • billdavismqt
    billdavismqt Posts: 11 Member
    My son is a paramedic and in one of his jobs he had a horrendous schedule (24 hours on, 24 hours off, etc) which caused sleep problems. His doctor recommended that he take melatonin. He did and this was helpful to him. I don't know speciifics such as dosage, time but this might be something to look in to.
  • klwxx
    klwxx Posts: 39
    My son is a paramedic and in one of his jobs he had a horrendous schedule (24 hours on, 24 hours off, etc) which caused sleep problems. His doctor recommended that he take melatonin. He did and this was helpful to him. I don't know speciifics such as dosage, time but this might be something to look in to.

    Thank you! I'll mention I've heard of it to the doctor :)
  • its in the natural supplement area..with nitamin..my bf and i take it..he does shift work..and i had trouble falling alseep its great..
  • ashenriver
    ashenriver Posts: 498 Member
    My problem was caffeine. I had to stop drinking it after 12 noon otherwise I would be up for hours.

    How is your caffeine intake?

    Avoid anything with a screen prior to bedtime. I have heard that watching tv or playing games on a computer doesn't allow your body to start thinking its bed time which keeps you up.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    I agree with no caffeine at all.