Little sleep - advice needed

[Kari Suttle]

So, for my main job - babysitting a toddler - i have to wake up at 5am every morning. I do well on seven to eight hours of sleep, but I find it hard if not impossible to get that much sleep a night. I'm not an insomniac, i just have trouble going to bed early. I work and take college classes online, so i'm always studying and doing homework in the evening until 8. I'm very routine-based, i have to go through the same morning and daily routine every day at more or less the same time - or, if not the same time, after the same everyday event like lunch. I cut off my studying at 8pm because past then its hard to focus on school work, and i need a set stop time so i can have me time or else i won't get it. My problem is that while i have a set morning routine i've had difficulty putting in a set nighttime routine. I'm so routine based that if something isn't routine i'll simply forget to do it.

What i'm trying to say is does anyone have advice on how i can fix these sleeping issues? I don't want to take something, not even melatonin, cause i'm scared of the idea of getting dependent on something for it. I've thought of simply putting a sticky note on my desk near my laptop so i'll remember to get dressed, brush teeth, set out my clothes for tomorrow, and get my bag together but i'm not sure if it'll work or not. The other part of the problem is that if i'm already doing something else its really hard for me to stop doing it even if i've given myself warning that its almost time to do something else. I get too into whatever i'm doing to finish, especially if i'm watching a movie or writing a fanfic or something. Getting five or six hours of sleep a night is killing me. Its making me irritable and giving me anger issues and i'm normally the calm, patient one. Anyone who's gotten this far, thanks for reading this. Advice is much appreciated.

 

[Tarragon]

Oh my, 5am every morning is tough! Sounds like you've no choice but to set a bedtime every night and stick to it. A friend of mine gets up at 6am (out of choice!!) and is always in bed by 9pm.

I find if I concentrate too late in the evening, I take forever to wind down, and so I can not get to sleep until the early hours of the morning.

Maybe you need to change your stop work time to 7pm, which might give you a couple of hours to relax, before going to bed early? I don't think taking pills to make you sleep is such a good idea either. Not when you can try and go to bed earlier first. You say you do your classes online, so it shouldn't be a problem stopping earlier? Guess it depends on how much work you have to do, and juggling all your stuff.

Going to bed that early might be something you would take time to adjust to. I always found reading physics textbooks sent me to sleep - maybe some bedtime reading of a dull subject would do the trick?

Hmmm, tricky problem. Hope someone else has some better ideas....

 

[Grumpy Cat]

You said you're very routine based. You have to develop a routine and stick to it EVERYDAY (even if you don't work). Since I work nights, I really had to have a routine down for the weeks I would work several days in a week, otherwise I was like the walking dead. I stayed up every night all night even on the days I didn't work. If you need to, have an alarm go off about 15 min before you should start getting ready for bed so you know to wind down your current activity. It will take about a month to get settled into a routine. I've used some chamomile tea right before bed or warm milk might help.

 

[rollerskate]

Valerian root.

 

[wyverary]

Winding down, as Angela said, is VERY important to being able to get to sleep, so you definitely need to make time in your day to just mentally prepare for bed. Something soothing like tea, or whatever you find helps calm you down, is a must. I don't think Melatonin or Valerian root are necessarily bad things to try...neither, as I understand, is particularly habit-forming, and if they help you sleep, what's the harm?

Good luck! I've suffered from chronic insomnia my whole life, and I know how horrible it is to not get enough sleep.

wyv

 

[rollerskate]

Winding down, as Angela said, is VERY important to being able to get to sleep, so you definitely need to make time in your day to just mentally prepare for bed. Something soothing like tea, or whatever you find helps calm you down, is a must. I don't think Melatonin or Valerian root are necessarily bad things to try...neither, as I understand, is particularly habit-forming, and if they help you sleep, what's the harm?

Good luck! I've suffered from chronic insomnia my whole life, and I know how horrible it is to not get enough sleep.

wyv

I build tolerances very quickly and normally am on prescription medication for insomnia. When I'm not on it Valerian root is the only thing I can take OTC that is just as effective and I never build a tolerance to. Still, if less powerful methods work for you, I'd say go for them first. I would love for things like tea and melatonin to work... Valerian root isn't that cheap...

 

[Kari Suttle]

Than you everyone for your advice. Sorry i didn't reply earlier, work's had me busy, my sister had a minor health scare at school (nurse's fault, but she's fine), and my parents are fighting so i've been stressed to say the least. I"m currently running on about three hours of sleep. Anyways, like some of you suggested i did buy some melatonin at the store this weekend to try out this week. I'm also gonna put into place a better nighttime routine - stop studying, etc at 7:45, get everything for the next day, etc and aim to go to bed at 9:30, be asleep by 10. That way i at least get 7 hours of sleep. Again, thanks for all the ideas!

 

[Peace]

So, for my main job - babysitting a toddler - i have to wake up at 5am every morning. I do well on seven to eight hours of sleep, but I find it hard if not impossible to get that much sleep a night. I'm not an insomniac, i just have trouble going to bed early. I work and take college classes online, so i'm always studying and doing homework in the evening until 8. I'm very routine-based, i have to go through the same morning and daily routine every day at more or less the same time - or, if not the same time, after the same everyday event like lunch. I cut off my studying at 8pm because past then its hard to focus on school work, and i need a set stop time so i can have me time or else i won't get it. My problem is that while i have a set morning routine i've had difficulty putting in a set nighttime routine. I'm so routine based that if something isn't routine i'll simply forget to do it.

What i'm trying to say is does anyone have advice on how i can fix these sleeping issues? I don't want to take something, not even melatonin, cause i'm scared of the idea of getting dependent on something for it. I've thought of simply putting a sticky note on my desk near my laptop so i'll remember to get dressed, brush teeth, set out my clothes for tomorrow, and get my bag together but i'm not sure if it'll work or not. The other part of the problem is that if i'm already doing something else its really hard for me to stop doing it even if i've given myself warning that its almost time to do something else. I get too into whatever i'm doing to finish, especially if i'm watching a movie or writing a fanfic or something. Getting five or six hours of sleep a night is killing me. Its making me irritable and giving me anger issues and i'm normally the calm, patient one. Anyone who's gotten this far, thanks for reading this. Advice is much appreciated.

There is all kinds of interesting research on this, especially for those who do not wish to simply take something. I saw something recently about findings that show different lighting levels or types of lights and things like that, noise before bed, time in front of a screen. All of these alter our sleep. might be worth researching. Good Luck.

 

[I am that which I am]

I started to meditate right before going to bed. I start by focusing on my breath and just follow and observe it, coming back to that when my attention deviates (which will happen). When I feel ready I usually do a body check where I bring my attention through every part of the body (you can probably google it) and feel what it is touching, how it feels, if it is tense or not. Then I try to focus on an object (like a flower, different aspects of it, its biology, what it looks like, colours, etc.) and come back when my attention deviates without saying a word to myself or scolding myself. I take ~30min. It takes a little practice to focus your attention so don't get frustrated. I find it helps me wind down and calm me after a stressful day or something. It forces my brain to stop working on whatever it is I am thinking of at that moment and focus on the body, sleep, calm, and peace.

I tried several sleeping medications and others but absolutely detest them. They feel like someone hits me over the head with a hammer and I wake up just as tired if not more so in the morning.

 

[Cellborne]

Melatonin and others made me sleepy.... for days. It was like I was in a blurry dream fog. I don't take any kind of medicine so my body had no clue what was going on. Lol stress keeps me awake. Also having too much on my plate, unsolved problems, things I am looking forward to, not looking forward to. It takes a certain level of dicipline and willpower to go to sleep despite these.

Try giving yourself "me" time more during the day. Quick vacations from the busy world. Hopefully you can then just know if there is something you need to do there is opportunity during the day. Your subconscious will thank you.

 

[Sparticus]

Have had insomnia since I was in my baby crib [my parents couldn't afford a bed for me till I was a certain age.]
At this point, with 3 hours sleep and yes I know that feeling very well, exercise, taking a bath before sleep or seeing a doctor would help. 3 hours sleep is very very bad. Hope you can get some help or change your routine.

Good luck!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Than you everyone for your advice. Sorry i didn't reply earlier, work's had me busy, my sister had a minor health scare at school (nurse's fault, but she's fine), and my parents are fighting so i've been stressed to say the least. I"m currently running on about three hours of sleep. Anyways, like some of you suggested i did buy some melatonin at the store this weekend to try out this week. I'm also gonna put into place a better nighttime routine - stop studying, etc at 7:45, get everything for the next day, etc and aim to go to bed at 9:30, be asleep by 10. That way i at least get 7 hours of sleep. Again, thanks for all the ideas!

 

[paloftoon]

Can you drop one of your courses to relieve the load? It might be worth it to spend the extra time and maybe the extra funds to take a course later. Or, consider a tutor to help you learn stuff faster maybe?

 

[tlc]

Lots of good ideas posted. I can relate, as when I was in college, basically the only way I could get everything done was to pull an all-nighter every other night or every 3rd night. Makes things feel weird like one continuous day. I've always had trouble getting to sleep too, and the only thing that has worked for me over the years is reading familiar books while laying in bed, I often fall asleep with the book falling on the bed, floor, or on my face. Never tried any sleeping pills and probably never will. Maybe try a routine of reading and keep a pile of books in bed like I do.