How to reset your internal clock?

[RayB]

No, not in your PC -- in you!

My waking schedule has drifted to the point that I am not sleepy until late (just look, it's 3:30am!) and then have a really hard time waking up even with an alarm (snooZe!), waking now past noon.

I work from home, if anyone is wondering.

What are some methods of shifting my rhythm back so I'm waking at 9 and getting sleepy by midnight?

[SNAAKE]

sleeping pill around 11pm

coffee around 8am

problem solved

[newmanfamilyvlogs]

Start a bedtime ritual and stick to it. It sucks for the first week or so, but eventually your body is forced to adapt.

My wife had a similar issue, made worse by insomnia. We got in the habit of relaxing about an hour before bed, reading a book. Getting the bright light of a PC or cellphone screen out of your eyes earlier helps (similar to how bright lights have been used to help with depression). A book is a nice neutral reflectivity of the ambient light in the room. The other part is just setting a bed time for yourself and sticking to it. In bed, lights out. The first few weeks she'd lay there awake until 2 or 3, but then it quickly drifted closer to when we were actually going to bed. Same too with waking up. At first she was miserable and exhausted having only slept a few hours, but eventually the front end of sleep drifts forward.

And on that note, it's 6AM now, so I better go wake her up

[Thenasty]

sex at 8pm and 10pm  

dreaming by 11pm 

[Howard_Casto]

Start a bedtime ritual and stick to it. It sucks for the first week or so, but eventually your body is forced to adapt.

Good suggestions, but let me just say that for many of us, that crap doesn't work!

I suffer from insomnia constantly due to various issues, and let me tell you, forcing yourself to sleep will only make it worse!  You are looking at the problem backwards.  You don't need to try to go to sleep early, you need to try to stay awake during the day.  Keep forcing yourself to stary awake when you want to be awake and don't worry about your sleeping hours.  Because your body will make you sleep regardless about your feelings on the matter, eventually your lack of sleep will make you "crash" and you'll sleep all night.  It's very frustrating to do and sometimes can take longer than a week, but it will work. 

That being said, in the winter time I actually prefer to sleep all morning and be up in the afternoon.  It's cold and nasty outside in the morning.  Why would you want to be awake for that?

[ark_ader]

I do a reset by staying awake 24 hours - then do a days work and get to bed one hour earlier than normal.

You will reset your sleeping pattern.  Unless you are worrying about something.

Everything in your world is OK right?

[saint]

Meh, don't know what you said but I'm not reading anything more you put in spoiler tags.

[newmanfamilyvlogs]

Start a bedtime ritual and stick to it. It sucks for the first week or so, but eventually your body is forced to adapt.

Good suggestions, but let me just say that for many of us, that crap doesn't work!

I suffer from insomnia constantly due to various issues, and let me tell you, forcing yourself to sleep will only make it worse!  You are looking at the problem backwards.  You don't need to try to go to sleep early, you need to try to stay awake during the day.  Keep forcing yourself to stary awake when you want to be awake and don't worry about your sleeping hours.  Because your body will make you sleep regardless about your feelings on the matter, eventually your lack of sleep will make you "crash" and you'll sleep all night.  It's very frustrating to do and sometimes can take longer than a week, but it will work. 

That being said, in the winter time I actually prefer to sleep all morning and be up in the afternoon.  It's cold and nasty outside in the morning.  Why would you want to be awake for that?

Jobs and kids kind of dictate when we have to be awake, but none the less being awake usually isn't as big of a problem for her as being clear minded. Caffeine can only do so much for your ability to concentrate.  Obviously different things work for different people, eh?

[ark_ader]

Meh, don't know what you said but I'm not reading anything more you put in spoiler tags.

That is why I give people the choice, as my point in other threads were so subjective, to view or ignore.

It is clear that people on this board are irritated by my posts, and get upset.

Besides I bet you peeked just the same.

[Malenko]

That is why I give people the choice, as my point in other threads were so subjective, to view or ignore.

It is clear that people on this board are irritated by my posts, and get upset.

Besides I bet you peeked just the same.

10. Generally annoying behavior. If you're following all the rules but are still managing through conduct or behavior to annoy a significant portion of the BYOAC membership to the point where the forum as a whole suffers, you will first be asked to modify your conduct and then will possibly be banned.

[mccoy178]

That rule is bunk because Pinballjim has never been banned.

[ark_ader]

That rule is bunk because Pinballjim has never been banned.

That is not fair - he is a nice fellow, and a good laugh.

1. Be nice to each other. We're serious about this one. Disagree, debate, argue at will - but please be respectful. Messages that are flame-bait, hateful, racist, or otherwise pointlessly antagonistic will likely be sent to post-hell, and repeat offenders banned from posting.

So I will be nice and refrain from spoilers.

You be nice too. 

 

[RayB]

Ark, this forum has an "ignore user" feature. Leave it to others to decide for themselves if they want you ignored.

[Mikezilla]

It does?!?! ---steaming pile of meadow muffin--- I would have done that a long time ago then. I freakin hate those stupid spoiler tags. Usually the stuff ark was saying was rude anyway so I didnt bother to read it, but it was visually distracting nonetheless.

[Gray_Area]

Gumption. Sometimes this comes more easily when a change in lifestyle occurs to infuse it or back it up.

[knave]

Lots of things can work, I wouldn't go as far as staying up all night but you might try waking up early. A week getting up at 4am and I'm ready to go to sleep by 9pm.

I also switch to decaf if I have been having trouble sleeping.

[RayB]

It does?!?! ---steaming pile of meadow muffin--- I would have done that a long time ago then. I freakin hate those stupid spoiler tags. Usually the stuff ark was saying was rude anyway so I didnt bother to read it, but it was visually distracting nonetheless.

It used to. I can't find it anymore!

[Mikezilla]

It does?!?! ---steaming pile of meadow muffin--- I would have done that a long time ago then. I freakin hate those stupid spoiler tags. Usually the stuff ark was saying was rude anyway so I didnt bother to read it, but it was visually distracting nonetheless.

It used to. I can't find it anymore!

Damn! 

[RayB]

Back on topic, last night I couldnt sleep until 3:30am, and this today, despite an 11am alarm clock, I couldnt get up until 12:30pm.      I never feel refreshed when I wake up. I always feel like a half-dead corpse.

[Xiaou2]

I used to have a terrible problem getting to sleep.  Tossing and turning for hours... while the mind kept whirring away.

 Things changed however, after I got into meditation.

 First it started out with a self-hypnosis tape by Barrie Konicov.  On one side was a sort of guided meditation.  After a week or so into using it.. the benefits started to really show.

 I then got into self meditation with specialized breathing techniques.  Once when I got home, and once before sleep, each time about an hour.  In a month, I felt amazing... sort of like I was floating on a cloud.

 When you meditate, you actually learn to control your mind incredibly well.  So much so, that in my case, I can now pretty much get to sleep in a few minutes... and I dont toss/turn or even move when I sleep.

 The mind has 4 main brainwave states.  From waking consciousness, down to creative state, deep sleep, and beyond.  If you can control your mind, you can push yourself through these states 10x faster than the average Joe... and thus get to sleep faster + sleep more soundly.

 The only thing left, would be to be able to force yourself to cease activity at a set/certain cut off time.

[Xiaou2]

A note about waking,  I often have a hard time waking as well...

 Ive found that I have to set 2 alarms, about 30 min apart.

 The first alarm brings you from the Deep dreamless sleep state to a lightly conscious "dreamy" state.

 The 2nd alarm gets you out of the dreamy state back to reality.


 - If the alarms are 5 to 10 min apart (snooze), you dont feel like you have gotten enough dreamy state rest to come out of your comatose state.

 - If the alarms are too far apart, you will go from the dreamy state back to the deep coma state... and will be back to square one.


 If you havent gotten enough sleep period, even the best strategy may fail.

 If your having energy problems, it may be a sign of other health issues, such as in my case... a mild allergy to wheat, which shuts down my absorption of nutrients.

 
 Other thoughts...  Do not eat 1hr before sleep.  Eating something like meat will kick your system into a second-wind type of state.

 To prepare for sleep, if you are not good with controlling your mind states, depriving yourself of stimulation will help slow down your mind.
(or use of things like boring news/monotone speeches, soft/slower/new-age music, possibly reading a book, tire yourself out physically.. )

[Mikezilla]

Have you gone to the doctor? Maybe youre anemic or something.

[BobbyG66]

Steven Wright -

"I'm planning a trip to Spain so I bought an album that teaches you the language. You put the album on, you put the headphones on, you learn the language while you're sleeping. During the night the record skipped. I got up the next day, now I can only stutter in Spanish."

[hyiu]

my sleeping habit is also messed up, but partly because of my job.

I'm pgrmmer, mainly doing night batch cycle, and when jobs failed, I got calls at night... 2am, 3am, 4am..
and I will have to logon and find out what's wrong, fix it, and then go back to bed.

years ago, when I was young, not a problem...
I can go back to sleep right away... its almost like a on / off switch...
off switch... sleeping again...

but as I get older, more things / stress in mind in general... and also body gets old...
if I woke up, and just talk and give simple instructions on the phone, I usually can still get back to sleep quickly...
but if I have to analyze anything... really thinking... solving problems... then my mind woke up...
and I'll be up for a few hours, and that will really mess up my next day....

as for waking up in the morning... I was never good at it...

but a few things helps for me...

- doing exercise, I play basketball with friends on a weekday night, and I'm exhausted afterwards...
I will sleep like a baby, and the sleep is good quality.

- if you work from home, u probably stay home most of the day, and doesn't workout as much....
(just guessing... I work from home sometimes, and I for sure don't move enough...)
other than thinking... (mentally power draining...) you need to try to physically drain some energy...
that will help sleep....

- like others have said... slow down before sleep....
I don't meditate... not good enough to do that... people saying clear ur mind...
easier said than done... I can't just not think of anything when I'm awake...
then I read somewhere an entry level trick, and that is more realistic...

when you're ready to go to bed, sit / or lay on bed relaxed...
any position is ok, just be comfortable...
turn off lights, computers, or anything distracting...
then instead of not thinking anything... (which I cant do..)
in your mind, slowly write the word "calm"... or "peace" or "quiet"...
pick a simple, smoothing word, and slowly write it out in your mind,
and take some slow and deep breath....
that way, the mind has something to "work on"...
its almost like counting sheep... but just twist it a little...
remember... write it slowly in your mind... for 10-20 times...
in a way, that does help me clear my mind a bit....
(but no, I'm not at a level where I can put myself to sleep just like that...)

as for waking up in the morning, I found that if I have things scheduled...
then my mind is aware of it, and it will wake up sharper...
if I have nothing urgent in the morning, then my mind will automatically go lazy and wants to sleep more...

so, I guess you're not too busy in the morning ??
or maybe there's no real need for you to wake up in the morning...

just like a kid... on weekdays... its going to school...
so, their mind say let's get more sleep...
but on Sat... its cartoon time !! and their mind wakes them up sharp early
so that they don't miss any shows !!

if you really want to wake up, plan something that you're really looking forward to in the morning,
that will help you wake up and set the time straight....

[Xiaou2]

What Hyiu posted was basic meditation, and it works really well.

 You force your mind to concentrate on a certain thing, and eventually, your body falls asleep and your mind shortly after.

 In Barries "Self Healing" meditation, there was a section of it where you were to envision being on a warm sunny beach.  You would then imagine the suns position was under your control, and you could direct the beam of light and warmth over parts of your body.  You covered each part slowly.

 At first, it didnt seem to be that effective... but in a week or so, you could actually start to feel warmth / heat from the experience.  Its quite awesome.

 In other meditations, it was similar... where you focused on deep breathing, coupled with breathing in healing light/energy/ or liquid.   You guided it all inside yourself, and then breathed the stuff out, seeing it as dark mist exiting your mouth/nose.  After +30 min of such sessions, you walk away feeling like a million dollars.  Its like you wash away all the stress and tensions completely from your system... and sort of float away.

 An interesting thing to note... is that it you stay still for about 15 minutes, your body falls asleep to the point where if you try to move, your limbs will be slow to respond, and feel like lead weights.  The mind however can remain alert and conscious, while you do whatever meditation / exercise you choose.   Though of course, in the beginning, most people will fall asleep trying to complete a meditation session... which usually works out well if its bed time anyways.

 It takes a long while before you can approach a truly thoughtless session.   It starts out with mere visualizations - which in a sense, are Ego-less, and not centered on personal thoughts.  Merely a shift in consciousness, and your listening to the various things.  Most people drown these things out with their own sounds/mind/personality/ego/consciousness... which is why they are not sensitive to the subtle internal things... and have a hard time relaxing/releasing.   It takes both desire and lot of practice, but results are assured for anyone who does put in the efforts.

[jamesjones626]

my job requires me to work 7am to 730pm one month then the next 7pm to 730am the next..........my internal clock is forever messed up.

[Benevolance]

I'll vouch for ark-ader's advice. If my sleeping schedule gets messed up, I'll skip a night of sleep, dog it through the next day, and then I'm ready for bed at a reasonable time the next night. Usually works like a charm.

[RayB]

It does?!?! ---steaming pile of meadow muffin--- I would have done that a long time ago then. I freakin hate those stupid spoiler tags. Usually the stuff ark was saying was rude anyway so I didnt bother to read it, but it was visually distracting nonetheless.

It used to. I can't find it anymore!

Found it.
 - Click the Profile button up top.
 - In left sidebar, select Person Message Options
 - There is a field where you can add user names.

Now their posts will just show this:

      "You are ignoring this user. Show me the post."


Clicking the link shows their post. Thing is, it's too tempted to just click and view what they said, since much of the thread gets out of context when people reply to the ignored person.

[Mikezilla]

It does?!?! ---steaming pile of meadow muffin--- I would have done that a long time ago then. I freakin hate those stupid spoiler tags. Usually the stuff ark was saying was rude anyway so I didnt bother to read it, but it was visually distracting nonetheless.

It used to. I can't find it anymore!

Found it.
 - Click the Profile button up top.
 - In left sidebar, select Person Message Options
 - There is a field where you can add user names.

Now their posts will just show this:

      "You are ignoring this user. Show me the post."


Clicking the link shows their post. Thing is, it's too tempted to just click and view what they said, since much of the thread gets out of context when people reply to the ignored person.

Still though, good man on finding it. Ill have to remember that little gem.