Well, my problem is basicly that I unintentionally end up staying up all night becuase I can't fall asleep and then sleeping all day. I'll try staying up until the next night instead of falling asleep so that I'll be tired enough to fall asleep at 10 or 11 pm. That usually only gets my sleep schedule back in order for a few days and then I'll end up sleeping all day and staying awake al night again. Does this happen to anyone else? Is there anything I can do to fix it?
"Some people get by, with a little understanding. Some people get by, with a whole lot more."
I don't really have any advice but I do this a lot as well, I think mainly because I just find it easier to sleep during the day than during the night.
I get ths as well - the only thing that has worked a bit for me is doing relaxation exercises in my head (focussing on each part of my body in turn and relaxing it, then doing it again, then again...) when I'm trying to sleep instead of letting my thoughts wander. It bores me to sleep for a bit, then when I wake up I allow myself some 'thought wandering time' then do the relaxation again. It means I get some sleep, even though not a full night, and I'm able to function the next day.
I used to have the same problem and it really was hard fixing it. Like you, I would be up all night and even staying awake all day didn't correct it. Someone gave me the advice of getting up everyday at the same time, regardless of when you have gone to sleep. Its helped me a lot, I think my meds play a part in helping me sleep too but I get up every morning at around 8am and I never sleep during the day. It takes a lot of effort and there are times its really hard to get up at 8 (because of not sleeping a lot at night) but if you can give it a go for a few weeks it should help.
On the days you think you won't be able to sleep you could stay in bed and listen to an audio book, its good to equate night time with relaxing and being in bed.
I really do hope you are able to sort it out, I understanding how annoying it can be and it can feel horrible waking up in the evening and knowing the whole day has passed.
sticks and stones may break your bones but words can tear your heart out.
My partner has problems with this - he could have written this thread. I have also had problems with sleep in the past, but not so bad. My social worker said that you can change your sleeping pattern only gradually - by 15 minutes per night.
So maybe instead of trying to change it drastically, and then slipping back into your old pattern, you should just try to change it a little bit at a time and then it might be more permanent. So say you go to bed, on average, at 7am - try going to bed at 6:45, and then 6:30 the next day, etc. And say you wake up, on average, at 4pm, try to get up 3:45, then 3:30 the next day, etc. So you're slowly moving your sleeping pattern backwards to what it 'should' be.
Also maybe you could go to the doctors and ask them advice about how to get to sleep and sort out your sleeping pattern and stuff.
Try to make sure you get about 8 - 9 hours of sleep a night, and no more, because that can be just as damaging as getting say, 4 - 5 hours of sleep a night, which isnt enough.
Also how is your diet and exercise routine? Another thing you could try is not drinking any caffeine, or eating sugary foods for the last few hours before you go to bed, and try drinking some warm milk, or hot chocolate or something before you go to bed. And you need to get into an exercise routine, so half way through your day do some sit up's and some jumping jacks and push ups or something - it doesnt really matter how many you do, just as long as you're getting some exercise. This can really help your sleeping pattern.
Another thing you can try is doing relaxation exercises when you're in bed - for example, one is that you lie on your back and go through your whole body from your toes to your head flexing every muscle and then relaxing it again. So you squeeze your toes really tight and then relax, then your feet, then relax, then your calves, then relax, thighs - relax, back muscles - relax, tummy muscles - relax, etc etc, so you go through your whole body really slowly. Then after youve done that carry on lying on your back and do 30 slow, deep breaths. So in 1-2-3, out 1-2-3, in 1-2-3, out 1-2-3, etc. and each in and out together represents one breath. Do that 30 times and try to imagine yourself climbing out of your body and going downstairs and out your front door and walking anywhere you want to go (but dont actually move your body - stay relaxed).
I find this last thing incredibly helpful and quite often I realise in the morning that I fell asleep before Id even finished doing this exercise.
Breathing with your tummy muscles is a good thing to relax yourself as well - so put your hands on your tummy and your chest, and if you breath normally you notice that your chest goes in and out, but then try breathing with your tummy instead - so instead of your chest going in and out your tummy is going in and out. If you breath slowly and deeply with your tummy for a few minutes a few times a day that can really help with anxiety as well.
Anyway, I think thats pretty much everything I know about trying to get into a good pattern of sleep.
I really hope you manage to sort it out - I know it can be a slow process the 15 minutes change a day thing - but its much better and long lasting than trying to change it all in one night.
Thanks for the suggestions, I've tried the one where you relax all your muscles one by one and its helping me fall asleep faster. Also when its warm enough I've been taking our dog out for longer walks to tire me out abit more. Changing your sleep pattern gradualy by 15 minutes every night sounds like a good idea too, its less of a shock to your system than staying up for two days in a row, i'll have to try it.
"Some people get by, with a little understanding. Some people get by, with a whole lot more."
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