Post: #1

I go to bed LATE. Like 3am most nights.

As a result I wake up around 11pm or noon.

I feel a lot better physically and mentally when I'm on a morning routine but no matter what I do I can't seem to make the shift to going to bed early and waking up early.

The only time I've done this is when I've lived in apartments with other people. I tend to 'synchronize' with a group and wake up earlier collectively.

But I live alone now so this is hard.

How the hell do I reset my internal clock!?

Post: #2

It summer time. Position your bed in a position so the rising sun will brighten up your room. If your having real trouble, make sure the sunlight will shine directly onto your face.

Exercise when you first wake up. Not only are less people at the gym but it will wake you up and also expend energy. Your body will continue to expend energy for the rest of the day and you should be tired around 10pm.

So allow yourself to rise with the morning sun (6-7am normally). Then go to bed when you feel tired.

I've been doing it for years and only have to use an alarm clock in the middle of winter. Most of the time I'm still awake before the alarm goes off. The negatives of getting on a early morning schedule is that it makes pulling those all night party sessions harder, and its harder to recover from the hangover. There been many times I goto bed at 4-5 am and still can't sleep past 8-9am because I'm used to get up early.

Post: #3

Yes. Get a light box. I recommend this one:

http://sunbox.com/product/sunlight-jr-2/

Use it at the same time every morning, shortly after you get up. Make sure you use the full 10,000 lux setting, for 30 minutes, at 14'' inches from the box. Don't look right at it, but across it -- and you can do this while you eat your breakfast, browse the RVF, etc. Make it part of your morning routine.

Getting 10,000 lux of full spectrum sunlight every morning will reset and regularize your body clock. It will make you sleep-tired at the same time every night, and will enable you to get deep and restful sleep. The effects will kick in rapidly -- after less than two weeks of using the box you should be fully entrained to a morning schedule.

To consolidate the schedule, use basic rules of sleep hygiene: don't eat late or too close to the time you go to bed; keep your sleeping area cool at night; use f.lux (https://justgetflux.com/) if you're ever looking at computer or smartphone monitors after dark.

That's all you need -- and you will indeed feel much better physically and mentally if you do it.

Post: #4

Take a sleeping pill. Either with doxylamine or dipehendramine. Both are over the counter available at any drug store.

Usually 50 mg of either will knock you out in an hour. So start taking them early in the night.
Over time, that's help you change your sleep schedule.

Cycle on and off the pills. No more than 2 weeks or the potency wears off.

Post: #5

Last summer I would sleep from 4 AM to noon or so. Currently, I sleep from midnight to 8 AM. Gradually set your alarm 10 or 15 minutes earlier every day until you are rising at your desired time. Cold showers are your friend. Get f.lux for any devices you use late at night.

Post: #6

OP: I saw a video recently where a doctor recommends exactly what Lizard of O. is telling you

Also cut out caffeine if applicable, at a cut off time (like no later than 2 or 3pm).

Post: #7

Somewhat dupe: /thread-34647.html

Post: #8

I've transitioned pretty successfully to a morning person the past few months.

Set your alarm to go off at the same time everyday, and when it goes off, just wake up, no matter what. Drink some coffee or tea right away, and develop some kind of morning ritual that will program your brain to understand this is the new morning routine. (as an example, I sip coffee, read 5 maxims from Baltasar Gracian's "Art of Worldly Wisdom" and do affirmations).

Make a daily task list giving yourself 1 hour to "wake up" via your ritual and caffeine, then onto the next item on your list.

You may have only slept 3 hours. So be it. Accept that you may have to feel like shit for a couple days while your body gets used to the new schedule.

Going to bed at a specific time helps too.

Unless you specifically want to party and run night game, there's really no reason to be awake awake in the wee hours of the morning. You're not missing anything.

Post: #9

Yes. I used to go to bed 2-3am and wake up 8-10am. Now I go to bed 10-11pm and wake up 6-7am - usually the earlier of those two times. Here is how.

Wake up every day at the same time. If you know you're waking up at 6am regardless, because you've woken up at 6am every day, you won't waste time in the evening.

Keep a regular schedule. Start work at the same time. Eat meals at the same time. Take breaks at the same time. Condition your body to a new schedule, and to see time as a scarce resource.

Have a bedtime routine. You know how you have a morning routine? Have a bedtime routine. I have certain health supplements I take, I brush my teeth, I take a teaspoon of raw honey (helps sleep) etc.

Create anchors for sleep. My body knows when I start my evening routine, it's time to start shutting down. In addition to that, I've anchored sleep to certain sensory cues. I have a fan in my room with a distinct sound that I turn on only once I'm getting into bed. The sound cues my body to sleep.

No computer screens 2 hours before bed. Computer lights mess with your physical clock. Your body knows to sleep once it's not being stimulated with light. Incidentally, this habit has forced me to read and meditate more, and waste less time "researching" indefinitely online.

Also - eat a clean diet, take healthy fats like fish oil two hours before bed, and try a teaspoon of raw honey before sleep.

Good question. I'll probably repost this in some form on my blog when back from hiatus.

Post: #10

Drop a sleeping pill or melatonin at 9pm. Drink a huge glass of water. Come 6am you'll have to piss so bad you'll have to get up.

Promise yourself when you get up to piss that you'll get in the shower. Make some coffee. Lift some weights. You'll get used to it after a week or so.

Post: #11

(06-28-2014 05:37 PM)Parlay44 Wrote:  Drop a sleeping pill or melatonin at 9pm. Drink a huge glass of water. Come 6am you'll have to piss so bad you'll have to get up.

Promise yourself when you get up to piss that you'll get in the shower. Make some coffee. Lift some weights. You'll get used to it after a week or so.

Not to be a negative nancy but here is a fair warning about melatonin (not sure about sleeping pills).

Your body naturally produces melatonin. When you supplement it, your body realizes the total amount in your system is above normal. In order to reach homeostasis, your body will reduce or possibly stop producing natural melatonin.

Essentially, take it if it is needed at certain times but do not take it regularly.

**This is based off some limited research of mine. If anyone has information that says different please say so.

Post: #12

Melatonin is ok if you stick with 3mg. If you take it like 3 days in a row it's a little rough getting up in the morning. Not a big deal. It's cheap, over the counter and it works. What more do you want?

Post: #13

I work nights in healthcare. I work a week on and a week off. On my week on I sleep from 10am-6pm and on my week off, I sleep from 11pm-6am.

I use melatonin go back and forth. I find 1.5mg of melatonin works best for me but you can take up to 10mg daily. Take it about 60-90min before you want to go to bed. You can also take it with some Benadryl (diphenhydramine) in addition to the melatonin.

Avoid caffeine, nicotine, alcohol, sleeping with the TV on.

Post: #14

I have the same problem. I feel that one of the major problems thats holding me back in my life is the lack of control of my sleeping schedule.

Ill be following this thread closely, thanks everyone for the advice and to VVinturi for calling it out.

Post: #15

(06-28-2014 06:43 PM)germanico Wrote:  I have the same problem. I feel that one of the major problems thats holding me back in my life is the lack of control of my sleeping schedule.

Ill be following this thread closely, thanks everyone for the advice and to VVinturi for calling it out.

what do you mean lack of control of your sleeping schedule?

Post: #16

Ambien

Post: #17

I'm naturally a night person but I've been succesfully able to be more of a morning person by paying close attention to my sleep hygiene.

1) Nothing with a screen or an LED in your bedroom. The exception is my cellphone which is in do-not-disturb mode and laid face down.

2) As already mentioned don't look at a screen for a few hours before you want to be asleep.

3) Get a nice soft reading lamp and read an interesting but not fascinating book for 10-15 minutes. I find that's enough to put me out. I generally avoid fiction because I'll get engrossed and stay up too late. Usually it's a book on finance or personal development.

4) Wake up at the same time everyday of the week - including weekends. I get up at 7am. Everyday.

The last one is probably the most important for staying on your schedule and not slipping back to old habits. I still struggle with it because sometimes it's fun to have a late night. It's really crucial though and you shouldn't be violating it on a weekly basis - maybe once a month at most.

Post: #18

Yes, avoid LEDs a few hours before getting to sleep.

Post: #19

Enlist. You will wake up or else.

Post: #20

(06-28-2014 06:44 PM)AntiTrace Wrote:  what do you mean lack of control of your sleeping schedule?

Sometimes I sleep for 10 hours, then I go on for 36 hours the next day.

Sometimes Im sleepy all day, then go to bed "early" so as to wake up the next morning and I wake up at noon to find out I was in bed for 12 hours. Othertimes I go to bed at 1am and by 4am Im up and feeling rested. Basically, this means my body and not me decides when and how much sleep I get.

I do, however, find that I can usually get up on time on important events, regardless of how much sleep I got.

Post: #21

Check in at the office no later than 10 am. I wrote a thread about places to work in BKK not long ago.

Also, get F.Lux (https://justgetflux.com/) if you haven't already. Makes a difference.

Post: #22

Do some reading before you want to go to bed. It will calm you and make you sleepy.

Post: #23

(06-29-2014 03:24 AM)objectivist tree Wrote:  Do some reading before you want to go to bed. It will calm you and make you sleepy.

For sure. Atlas Shrugged knocks me out every time.

Post: #24

Yes me. I am getting up at 5 though I don´t have any obligations like work. Meditation and reading fiction before going to bed might be helpfull.

Post: #25

Yes I did it. I went from going to sleep at 2-3 AM and getting up at 10AM... to getting up at 7-8AM ever morning and hitting the sack before midnight.

Here is the answer for your problem and its completely free:

http://www.justgetflux.com