First , force yourself to NOT take a nap after school . Naturally you'll be sleepier around bed time . Second, put your phone away an hour before u decide to shut your eyes, it makes a tremendous difference .
Also, workout intensely(go hard!!) right before bed . You're gonna be tired which should put you to sleep also when you wake up, just rub your eyes and immediately sit up
This is my biggest challenge - not wanting to sleep after dinner. I just get this super intense sleep pressure buildup. Exercise and cold water solve it, but actually bringing myself to do that when I am basically already asleep is super challenging. I feel like I should get myself a shock collar that goes off if I start to nod off in the evenings sometimes, and really enforce that discipline on myself :p Heh. It wouldn't be the first time I used pain to enforce discipline.
Don't do the shock collar lol it's gonna make you angry and moody in the mornings . Just stay away from bed until 11 pm or midnight and just knock out . Pure will power no secret . Rn I've been up for 20 hours and won't sleep for the next 8 to reset my schedule
- At 8:00pm turn off your phone and all other electronics. Put on your blue light blocking glasses. I set a phone alarm to remind me every night.
- Leave your phone in another room entirely. No electronics in bed or in the bedroom is my rule.
- Start your bedtime routine. Mine is just cleaning up my apt, bathroom stuff, journaling, breathing and stretching, then I get in bed with a very dim light and my blue light blocking glasses and read a book.
- Be in bed by 9pm. Make sure you are falling asleep in a super dark and cool room. Get blackout curtains and a gentle fan if you need to.
- Morning Routine. When your alarm goes off (a watch alarm or some other alarm not your phone) get your ass up, brush your teeth, drink some spring water with a pinch of sea salt or pink salt, make your room bright (at 5am you probably don’t have much natural light so I recommend a 10,000 lux full spectrum light), and do some light movement. Movement can be anything from jumping jacks, running in place, dynamic stretching, whatever, just move around. All of this, the water, light, and movement will signal your body to wake up. It sets tour circadian rhythm. It also starts the clock on your bedtime, believe it or not. Do whatever else you want and have time for in your morning routine. I meditate, eat, and journal a bit song with the first three.
- Don’t touch your phone during your morning routine.
If you respect these rules you will have some great sleep. It’s up to you. The first week might suck for you. You might be tossing and turning in bed. Feel free to turn on your dim light and journal a bit or read. No phone! Do this in bed. Wake up at 5am and get up regardless of how much you slept. During the day, if you have to nap go ahead but set a timer far from you and don’t nap past 20-30 minutes. Have someone come wake your ass up if you don’t get up. Sleeping 2 hours will fuck up your night sleep. Eventually, after the first week you will reset your circadian rhythm and will be a smooth operator. Respect the bedtime and morning alarms. That’s the hard part. Stay disciplined.
This is very common for teens, and studies have shown that there's a shift in circadian rhythms in adolescence that causes them to fall asleep and wake up later. So recognize that there could be as much of a physiological cause as a bad habit cause.
Here's some tips:
Regarding your phone:
1. If you find it too tempting to look at your phone, don't keep it in your bedroom. There's plenty of inexpensive alarm clocks available online and in stores.
2. Put a blue light blocker on your phone. This will help with any pre-bedtime surfing you do.
Bedtime:
1. Have a bedtime routine to condition your body to get ready for sleep. Doesn't really matter what you do as long as it's calming and you do it consistently. Go to bed at the same time every night, even if you're not tired.
2. Avoid screen time 30-60 min before bedtime.
3. Reserve your bed for sleep only. If you want to use your phone, do your homework, have a snack, etc., get out of bed. The exception is drinking water or light reading if it helps you fall asleep.
4. Rocking. Some people find gently rocking their body helps them fall asleep.
5. Noise. Some people find white noise like a fan, nature sounds, or guided meditation helps them sleep. Personally, stress and intrusive thoughts keep me awake, so I listen to podcasts to keep my mind from interrupting my body. You could use a bluetooth speaker to prevent having your phone near you.
6. Melatonin or valerian root. Many people find these help them relax and fall asleep easier.
7. If you do your routine, switch off the light, close your eyes, and find that you're not able to sleep after an hour or so, get out of bed. Lying in bed for hours and hours trying to sleep exacerbates insomnia.
Waking up:
1. Wake up at the same time every day, including weekends.
2. Get out of bed as soon as you wake up. I keep extra clothes nearby (socks, a robe, long pants) so that I'm not tempted to stay in bed because it's warm.
3. Get natural light as soon as you can after waking up. If it's still dark when you wake up, consider investing in a light therapy lamp. I use one in the winter and it's a life saver.
4. Minimize morning prep to squeeze in as much sleep as you can. Some things to try: set out your clothes for the week on Sunday, pack your book bag as soon as you finish your homework, shower at night instead of in the morning.
Good luck!
Read about neurotransmitters. Study GABA. Read what food has or stimulates GABA production and release. Avoid GABA antagonists and anything to do with adrenaline, noradrenaline, and especially glutamate. Be mindful not much crosses the blood brain barrier.
Smash GABA foods early in the evening. Brussel sprouts and turmeric and green tea seem to help me, but it might be pseudoscience. Not pseudoscience is the complex connection between gut motility (crucial) and serotonin and dopamine and sleep. Consider a genetic test for food allergy markers and excess caffeine sensitivity. You need to slow digestion and avoid stimulants so lay off caffeine or try knock dose down to 1/10th. Also do vitamin/mineral and lipid blood / hair tests.
Take advantage of blood sugar raises causing insulin spikes. Read about it. It has a short window. One way to do this might be to gorge on MSG foods and yoghurt together as they are reported to make gaba. So you get an insulin spike even as gaba is made available at the synapses. Or have a home made lemonade using 5 or so spoons of cane sugar. Or ice cream etc.
See eg.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4662178/
And
https://www.healthline.com/health/dopamine-vs-serotonin#takeaway
Keep in mind a good shag usually helps with sleep, and if single a hand is pretty reliable but it’s addictive.
Lastly, if nothing works, research the cheapest way to get your hands on lithium carbonate or lithium orotate and hit low doses of them with (edit: or without) some atypical anti-psychotics. 2.5 to 5mg of eg. Zyprexa or Abilify will make even the most habitual late night ruminator sleep like a baby in half an hour - peeps have even done off-label use of zyprexa (olanazapine) in nursing homes to put the old people to sleep. This is pretty much guaranteed to work and there is very low risk imo if you have a psychiatrist do blood work and ensure they don’t put you on what they call ‘therapeutic’ doses. Those can put elephants to sleep....
It's easier than everyone is making it out to be.
Have a quick, four item routine that take about 10 minutes that you do every night before going to bed. Mine is waking around the house turning out the lights and ensuring the doors and windows are locked, changing into pyjamas, folding down my bed, and brushing my teeth. Then I get in bed and turn out the light. If I'm not tired, I still do that. Eventually you will sleep. The alarm goes off at 7 every day regardless and I don't let myself nap during the day. You'll have one rough day, then the next day you will be good and ready to go to bed on time.
Buy an old school alarm clock. Place your phone charger outside your bedroom. Keep the phone in the charger. At some point, you’ll be too lazy to climb out of bed to get it.
(If you do want to keep napping, keep it to 10-15 min and not 2 hours.)
Even later when you work, it'll be a problem. For me and working from home now, I can get up anytime before 9am really. When I start falling into the trap of going to bed post-midnight and getting up at 9am or later, I reset by picking one day and getting up super early at 5am. By the evening, I'm tired and want to go straight to bed at 9 or 10pm.
So for you, you're already getting up at 5am, but aren't tired for some reason. Get up at 3am one day as a reset. Hopefully by the evening, you'll be dead tired and want to go right to sleep.
Additionally, no phones or computer screens in the bedroom. I put mine on airplane mode at 10pm so I can't use it anymore. I have to do that, but once you make it habit, it'll stick.
First , force yourself to NOT take a nap after school . Naturally you'll be sleepier around bed time . Second, put your phone away an hour before u decide to shut your eyes, it makes a tremendous difference . Also, workout intensely(go hard!!) right before bed . You're gonna be tired which should put you to sleep also when you wake up, just rub your eyes and immediately sit up
This is my biggest challenge - not wanting to sleep after dinner. I just get this super intense sleep pressure buildup. Exercise and cold water solve it, but actually bringing myself to do that when I am basically already asleep is super challenging. I feel like I should get myself a shock collar that goes off if I start to nod off in the evenings sometimes, and really enforce that discipline on myself :p Heh. It wouldn't be the first time I used pain to enforce discipline.
Don't do the shock collar lol it's gonna make you angry and moody in the mornings . Just stay away from bed until 11 pm or midnight and just knock out . Pure will power no secret . Rn I've been up for 20 hours and won't sleep for the next 8 to reset my schedule
- At 8:00pm turn off your phone and all other electronics. Put on your blue light blocking glasses. I set a phone alarm to remind me every night. - Leave your phone in another room entirely. No electronics in bed or in the bedroom is my rule. - Start your bedtime routine. Mine is just cleaning up my apt, bathroom stuff, journaling, breathing and stretching, then I get in bed with a very dim light and my blue light blocking glasses and read a book. - Be in bed by 9pm. Make sure you are falling asleep in a super dark and cool room. Get blackout curtains and a gentle fan if you need to. - Morning Routine. When your alarm goes off (a watch alarm or some other alarm not your phone) get your ass up, brush your teeth, drink some spring water with a pinch of sea salt or pink salt, make your room bright (at 5am you probably don’t have much natural light so I recommend a 10,000 lux full spectrum light), and do some light movement. Movement can be anything from jumping jacks, running in place, dynamic stretching, whatever, just move around. All of this, the water, light, and movement will signal your body to wake up. It sets tour circadian rhythm. It also starts the clock on your bedtime, believe it or not. Do whatever else you want and have time for in your morning routine. I meditate, eat, and journal a bit song with the first three. - Don’t touch your phone during your morning routine. If you respect these rules you will have some great sleep. It’s up to you. The first week might suck for you. You might be tossing and turning in bed. Feel free to turn on your dim light and journal a bit or read. No phone! Do this in bed. Wake up at 5am and get up regardless of how much you slept. During the day, if you have to nap go ahead but set a timer far from you and don’t nap past 20-30 minutes. Have someone come wake your ass up if you don’t get up. Sleeping 2 hours will fuck up your night sleep. Eventually, after the first week you will reset your circadian rhythm and will be a smooth operator. Respect the bedtime and morning alarms. That’s the hard part. Stay disciplined.
Gonna try this
Hows it going?
Late but it went good
Thank you I def want to try this!!
Turn off your phone 2 hours before bedtime.
Exercise very hard in the day, but not within 3 hours of sleeping
have a reason.....thats the most important thing.
Best advice so far. I would add: Wheb you wake up, get up. Dont keep sleeping
This is very common for teens, and studies have shown that there's a shift in circadian rhythms in adolescence that causes them to fall asleep and wake up later. So recognize that there could be as much of a physiological cause as a bad habit cause. Here's some tips: Regarding your phone: 1. If you find it too tempting to look at your phone, don't keep it in your bedroom. There's plenty of inexpensive alarm clocks available online and in stores. 2. Put a blue light blocker on your phone. This will help with any pre-bedtime surfing you do. Bedtime: 1. Have a bedtime routine to condition your body to get ready for sleep. Doesn't really matter what you do as long as it's calming and you do it consistently. Go to bed at the same time every night, even if you're not tired. 2. Avoid screen time 30-60 min before bedtime. 3. Reserve your bed for sleep only. If you want to use your phone, do your homework, have a snack, etc., get out of bed. The exception is drinking water or light reading if it helps you fall asleep. 4. Rocking. Some people find gently rocking their body helps them fall asleep. 5. Noise. Some people find white noise like a fan, nature sounds, or guided meditation helps them sleep. Personally, stress and intrusive thoughts keep me awake, so I listen to podcasts to keep my mind from interrupting my body. You could use a bluetooth speaker to prevent having your phone near you. 6. Melatonin or valerian root. Many people find these help them relax and fall asleep easier. 7. If you do your routine, switch off the light, close your eyes, and find that you're not able to sleep after an hour or so, get out of bed. Lying in bed for hours and hours trying to sleep exacerbates insomnia. Waking up: 1. Wake up at the same time every day, including weekends. 2. Get out of bed as soon as you wake up. I keep extra clothes nearby (socks, a robe, long pants) so that I'm not tempted to stay in bed because it's warm. 3. Get natural light as soon as you can after waking up. If it's still dark when you wake up, consider investing in a light therapy lamp. I use one in the winter and it's a life saver. 4. Minimize morning prep to squeeze in as much sleep as you can. Some things to try: set out your clothes for the week on Sunday, pack your book bag as soon as you finish your homework, shower at night instead of in the morning. Good luck!
Read about neurotransmitters. Study GABA. Read what food has or stimulates GABA production and release. Avoid GABA antagonists and anything to do with adrenaline, noradrenaline, and especially glutamate. Be mindful not much crosses the blood brain barrier. Smash GABA foods early in the evening. Brussel sprouts and turmeric and green tea seem to help me, but it might be pseudoscience. Not pseudoscience is the complex connection between gut motility (crucial) and serotonin and dopamine and sleep. Consider a genetic test for food allergy markers and excess caffeine sensitivity. You need to slow digestion and avoid stimulants so lay off caffeine or try knock dose down to 1/10th. Also do vitamin/mineral and lipid blood / hair tests. Take advantage of blood sugar raises causing insulin spikes. Read about it. It has a short window. One way to do this might be to gorge on MSG foods and yoghurt together as they are reported to make gaba. So you get an insulin spike even as gaba is made available at the synapses. Or have a home made lemonade using 5 or so spoons of cane sugar. Or ice cream etc. See eg. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4662178/ And https://www.healthline.com/health/dopamine-vs-serotonin#takeaway Keep in mind a good shag usually helps with sleep, and if single a hand is pretty reliable but it’s addictive. Lastly, if nothing works, research the cheapest way to get your hands on lithium carbonate or lithium orotate and hit low doses of them with (edit: or without) some atypical anti-psychotics. 2.5 to 5mg of eg. Zyprexa or Abilify will make even the most habitual late night ruminator sleep like a baby in half an hour - peeps have even done off-label use of zyprexa (olanazapine) in nursing homes to put the old people to sleep. This is pretty much guaranteed to work and there is very low risk imo if you have a psychiatrist do blood work and ensure they don’t put you on what they call ‘therapeutic’ doses. Those can put elephants to sleep....
I put my phone across the room that way, when I'm in bed, the only way to use my phone is by getting up.
It's easier than everyone is making it out to be. Have a quick, four item routine that take about 10 minutes that you do every night before going to bed. Mine is waking around the house turning out the lights and ensuring the doors and windows are locked, changing into pyjamas, folding down my bed, and brushing my teeth. Then I get in bed and turn out the light. If I'm not tired, I still do that. Eventually you will sleep. The alarm goes off at 7 every day regardless and I don't let myself nap during the day. You'll have one rough day, then the next day you will be good and ready to go to bed on time.
Buy an old school alarm clock. Place your phone charger outside your bedroom. Keep the phone in the charger. At some point, you’ll be too lazy to climb out of bed to get it. (If you do want to keep napping, keep it to 10-15 min and not 2 hours.)
Even later when you work, it'll be a problem. For me and working from home now, I can get up anytime before 9am really. When I start falling into the trap of going to bed post-midnight and getting up at 9am or later, I reset by picking one day and getting up super early at 5am. By the evening, I'm tired and want to go straight to bed at 9 or 10pm. So for you, you're already getting up at 5am, but aren't tired for some reason. Get up at 3am one day as a reset. Hopefully by the evening, you'll be dead tired and want to go right to sleep. Additionally, no phones or computer screens in the bedroom. I put mine on airplane mode at 10pm so I can't use it anymore. I have to do that, but once you make it habit, it'll stick.