Help! how can I get my sleep cycle back to normal

[Marietjie]

Two weeks ago I had 4 nights with very little sleep (DH got ill and hospitalized) - now I struggle to get my sleep cycle back to normal.
Any suggestions on how I can rectify this problem?
I am ligths out by 7-730pm and sleep till 1.30-2.00am - I just cannot get it right to stretch bedtime.
And I don't feel well - tired and moody!
Thanks.

[jweeks]

Hi,

This is a timely posting--I was just going to post the same question. I was in a real good grove sleeping from 11 PM to around 6:30 AM for several months. Then I was up all night for 2 nights in a row with a project at work. Now, my body just will not go to sleep until about 4 AM. I have tried going to bed at 11 PM but I am not the least bit tired. I have tried to go cold-turkey and get up at 6:30 AM with only about 3 hours of sleep (for several days in a row), but despite being very tired, my body doesn't sleep until about 4 AM. So far, I have not figured out how to reset my sleep cycle to go to bed at a reasonable time. This has been going on for 3 weeks now.

Anyone have any ideas?

-john-

[pats]

Hi,

This is a timely posting--I was just going to post the same question. I was in a real good grove sleeping from 11 PM to around 6:30 AM for several months. Then I was up all night for 2 nights in a row with a project at work. Now, my body just will not go to sleep until about 4 AM. I have tried going to bed at 11 PM but I am not the least bit tired. I have tried to go cold-turkey and get up at 6:30 AM with only about 3 hours of sleep (for several days in a row), but despite being very tired, my body doesn't sleep until about 4 AM. So far, I have not figured out how to reset my sleep cycle to go to bed at a reasonable time. This has been going on for 3 weeks now.

Anyone have any ideas?

-john-

A general suggestion: Search for "jet lag". What you describe is very similar to what I feel when I return to California after spending a couple of weeks e.g. in Europe. All the standard suggestions for what to do, and what to avoid, for dealing with jet lag may apply to you.

[49er]

Two weeks ago I had 4 nights with very little sleep (DH got ill and hospitalized) - now I struggle to get my sleep cycle back to normal.
Any suggestions on how I can rectify this problem?
I am ligths out by 7-730pm and sleep till 1.30-2.00am - I just cannot get it right to stretch bedtime.
And I don't feel well - tired and moody!
Thanks.

Hi Marietjie,

I could have written this post. I feel the inability to sleep normal hours no matter what I have tried has been a major roadblock to successfully using cpap. In my situation, I feel so drugged after dinner that I can't stay awake. It doesn't matter how little or how much I eat.

Unfortunately, I haven't had any luck getting professionals to take this seriously.

Apparently, in our case, if we use a light lamp around 7pm, that may help. Last night was the first time I was able to use it for at least 30 minutes without falling asleep. Unfortunately, the sleep that ensued was one of my worst nights in about a month.

Sorry I can't be more helpful. Meanwhile, google advanced phase syndrome because it sounds like that is exactly what we may have. Of course, I am not a doctor.

J Weeks, google delayed phase syndrome. If I remember correctly, using a light therapy lamp when you get up would help reset your body clock.

Melatonin also has been used in situations like ours. So far, I am unclear as to how it can help with advanced phase syndrome.

49er

[user from Singapore]

I confirm melatonin could help. I personally never used it but I know people who had great success when dealing with jetlag.
There is another thread on melatonin:
viewtopic/t78406/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=78 ... 18#p713118

[portiemom]

OMG, this is so close to what I've been experiencing too! I go to bed at 11ish, don the mask, fall asleep within 10 minutes, wake at 12:30 or 1am and whalla ready for work which isn't till many hours later.... I lay in bed trying for hours to get back to sleep, I've tried a warm shower, vacuuming and house cleaning (hubby doesn't appreciate the noise), and by 6am when I need to get ready for work I AM EXHAUSTED. Every suggestion is greatly appreciated.

[CatButler]

OMG, this is so close to what I've been experiencing too! I go to bed at 11ish, don the mask, fall asleep within 10 minutes, wake at 12:30 or 1am and whalla ready for work which isn't till many hours later.... I lay in bed trying for hours to get back to sleep, I've tried a warm shower, vacuuming and house cleaning (hubby doesn't appreciate the noise), and by 6am when I need to get ready for work I AM EXHAUSTED. Every suggestion is greatly appreciated.

I had something similar to to, maybe the time frame was stretched out a bit more. It started by going to sleep @ 10 wake up @ 1:30 wide awake. Lay there for 1 hour+, give up and get up, end up exhausted by 5. Not every night but maybe 1 out of 4. The best thing was to take a 500mcg melatonin (I use Trader Joe's chew-able and keep it by the night stand so I don't even have to get up or take my FF mask off) and I would get back to sleep. It seems the time period is stretching out a bit more. Now it is closer to 4am, which is somewhat worse because I don't want to take anything then.

[MJKelleher]

I would sometimes get off-cycle when I was working night shift. My solution was to take benadryl, and on a firm schedule. I only took it if I was able to plan for 8 hours of sleep, I would be groggy the next day if I didn't. Take it daily for five days, then every other day for another five. By that time, my body would have gotten back in synch with my work schedule, but I wouldn't have gotten reliant on the benadryl to get to sleep.

[dgalvin66]

Wow this sounds just like me. I have strugled with this my entire life as far back as I can remember. My wife hates that I come to bed so much later than she does, I try but end up getting out of bed after a while and finally going back to bed at around 2am - 4am even though I had taken an Ambien at 10:30 or 11:00 pm. Then I sleep untill anytime between 10am - 1pm if left alone. Luckily I am retired (not by choice that is another story) and do not have to worry about getting up to be any place but it was such a pain in the butt when I did work and it was hard to make sure to be to work on time every day for the last 17 years on my last job but I did it.
I already have an appoint. to see my Dr. next week to tak to him about my sleep so I will mention this to him. I still need to find a new sleep Dr. we have been back in Las Vegas for a year now and I still have not looked for one yet.

Anyone know a good sleep Dr in Vegas?

[kteague]

Hi Marietjie. Is your sleep getting any better yet? How's your hubby doing? Was good to read he's at home. Can't say I have any real insights into getting back on schedule. I did have one trick in my arsenal when I was trying to not go to sleep, and that was to enlist a friend to call me and talk to me through the time I was trying to stay awake. They also called me when I needed to wake up. Hope you're sleeping better by now.

[archangle]

Some people say to stop eating 12 to 16 hours before the time you want to wake up. Results vary from miracle cure to some small amount of help to no good at all.

At worst, it's harmless and inexpensive.

[robysue]

A fixed wake up schedule often helps, but it can take more than a few days. You have to force yourself to get up at your regular wake up time regardless of whether you want to or not. (And that's hard.) And do your best to maintain a semi-consistent bedtime too.

Careful attention to all aspects of sleep hygiene help too. Don't rely on caffeine to keep you awake until bedtime, but don't give up and go to bed several hours earlier than normal either. And don't nap during the daytime; that will just make it harder to get to sleep when you want to.

Judicious use of a light box may help.

Not lying in bed for hours at a time worrying about the time and the fact that you are not asleep and the fact that it will soon be time to wake up for work and anything else that you worry about should help. Not worrying is difficult, but it's very important. If you find yourself staring at the clock when you are awake, turn it around so you can't see it so easily. Estimate how long you've been awake rather than looking at the clock. If you think you've been struggling to get to sleep (or back to sleep) for 30 minutes, it's time to get out of bed and go into a different room and regroup.

And when you are awake in the middle of the night, do restful, relaxing things; doing things like housework or work related paperwork will just perpetuate the cycle. Some slow, relaxing yoga stretches might help; but rigorous exercise close to bedtime will likely make things worse. Listening to very quiet music in the semi-dark might help. Playing some solitare with real cards might help. Reading something super boring in a different room might help.