Need Help

[Wreckless]

I know this is going to say stupid & ridiculous to some people but I need help breaking a "habit" if you will. I tend to stay up WAY too late, I get lazy, fatigued the following day and I don't get enough sleep, proper sleep nor do I sleep consistently. The best times I get enough sleep, and feel great is when I lay in bed to watch tv and I fall asleep early- like anywheres from 8-11 at night. But for my health and school's sake, and my body's sake, I need to start sleeping properly and longer. Getting 7 hours when I go to bed late doesn't help because your body isn't trained to get up and your sleep pattern gets confused. A lot of times I tend to stay on the computer, either to do work, surf the web or just to pass the time- stupidly. Instead of going to bed when I don't feel good or sick, feel tired or I'm in a bad mood, I stay up and waste my time up in the middle of the nights. This is seriously a problem I need to fix- I'm not joking you. Anybody have any suggestions for me to fix my stupidness? A bath or shower right before bed so I cool down and relax? Exercising so my body shuts down? Anything, words of encouragement will do me good. I know a lot of kids have had this issue, it's different then insomnia because insomnia you're actually going to bed and resting, whereas I'm up and not goin to bed at all, not at least until late most nights.

-Kyle

[Janice]

I've always been that way, Kyle. I read once that some people are born nocturnal, and I'm one of them, as you are. As a young kid when most kids are up watching cartoons, my mother had a terrible time getting me up for kindergarten and on. I was tired because I'd stay awake thinking, or anything but sleeping.

Even now, I always feel like I'm going to miss something, so I'll stay up as late as I can. It's crazy. When I worked in corporate, I'd go to bed early and get up late, but it never felt right. I'm not big on suggestions, but you should try to relax. When I go to bed, I make sure I'm watching a mindless sitcom, and not an interesting movie or a documentary that's going to get me thinking. Just force yourself to go to bed at a certain hour, and to get up at a certain hour. Easier said than done, I know, but you can do it.

[dawsongirl]

^^ I've been that way forever as well. I have to be the last person in the house to go to sleep because I'm afraid I'll miss something, too. I could never go to bed when I was a kid; it was almost frightening to me. Even now, I have anxiety about going to bed too early. Plus I'm not the type that can hit the pillow and fall asleep. But once I'm asleep, I can sleep for 12 hours.

Just make sure that you shut everything off that's a distraction at a certain time. Like, at 11, no more TV, ban yourself from the computer, etc. Maybe that way you'll bore yourself to sleep. Force yourself to at least sit in the bed. Reading a book might help. I've read that exercising is not a good thing to do late because it doesn't help you get to sleep. Maybe even try some sort of sleep aid if you get desperate enough. Benadryl is cheap, or any of those same diphenhydramine drugs.

[catlover79]

Me, too. It's a very bad habit. I should've added that to the post of bad habits.

[Wreckless]

Originally Posted by Janice

I've always been that way, Kyle. I read once that some people are born nocturnal, and I'm one of them, as you are. As a young kid when most kids are up watching cartoons, my mother had a terrible time getting me up for kindergarten and on. I was tired because I'd stay awake thinking, or anything but sleeping.

Even now, I always feel like I'm going to miss something, so I'll stay up as late as I can. It's crazy. When I worked in corporate, I'd go to bed early and get up late, but it never felt right. I'm not big on suggestions, but you should try to relax. When I go to bed, I make sure I'm watching a mindless sitcom, and not an interesting movie or a documentary that's going to get me thinking. Just force yourself to go to bed at a certain hour, and to get up at a certain hour. Easier said than done, I know, but you can do it.

Yeah that sounds just like me. When I'm down my Mom's every once in awhile and I have no internet- I just stay up to stay up and I don't go to bed early 95% of the time. Yeah I guess neither of us are morning people, which is fine because most people are either one or the other- morning or night people. I feel the same way, that I'll miss something. When I'm in a bad mood or not feeling well, instead of just going to bed, I sit in my computer chair and stall for forever It seems like. That's what I should do- Thanks for the advice & help Janice.

[Wreckless]

Originally Posted by dawsongirl

^^ I've been that way forever as well. I have to be the last person in the house to go to sleep because I'm afraid I'll miss something, too. I could never go to bed when I was a kid; it was almost frightening to me. Even now, I have anxiety about going to bed too early. Plus I'm not the type that can hit the pillow and fall asleep. But once I'm asleep, I can sleep for 12 hours.

Just make sure that you shut everything off that's a distraction at a certain time. Like, at 11, no more TV, ban yourself from the computer, etc. Maybe that way you'll bore yourself to sleep. Force yourself to at least sit in the bed. Reading a book might help. I've read that exercising is not a good thing to do late because it doesn't help you get to sleep. Maybe even try some sort of sleep aid if you get desperate enough. Benadryl is cheap, or any of those same diphenhydramine drugs.

That's a good idea- that way my body will shut off naturally. Yeah I guess exercising would make you energetic, unless you do therapeutic type exercises, I don't know. I heard Benadryl is good, I'd rather just stop being stupid and try going to bed. That way, if I'm at least trying to get some rest and it doesn't work, THEN I can resort to benadryl or whatever else. Thanks a lot for the help dawsongirl, I appreciate it.

Yeah catlover, my many habits are leaking through these boards . It's ok, none of us is perfect.

[dawsongirl]

Originally Posted by Wreckless

That's a good idea- that way my body will shut off naturally. Yeah I guess exercising would make you energetic, unless you do therapeutic type exercises, I don't know. I heard Benadryl is good, I'd rather just stop being stupid and try going to bed. That way, if I'm at least trying to get some rest and it doesn't work, THEN I can resort to benadryl or whatever else. Thanks a lot for the help dawsongirl, I appreciate it.

Yeah catlover, my many habits are leaking through these boards . It's ok, none of us is perfect.

Sure. It's nice to know I'm not the only night owl out there.

Yoga might be a relaxing exercise. I've never done yoga, but I suppose it's something to look into. I don't think I'd have the patience to just sit there.

[Schmoopie]

I have this problem too, and I hate it! I am forever trying to get to bed early and it rarely happens!

Andrea

[PZelda]

Be forewarned... Benadryl and other sleep aids (this goes for melatonin also, which is a sleep aid but I don't think everybody knows this) can make you heavy-headed after waking up. I have sleeping problems out the ass, and often take something to help me sleep. However, I haven't needed to take a sleep aid in about a month which is a record for me. I quite often have some booze before bed to help me sleep (I'm 23, so I'm legal, okay?)... but that's not really the correct answer to your problems. And besides, I wake up after only 4-5 hours, end up staying up for the rest of the day and feel like ass for a while because of being so sleep-deprived.

Do you get hot at night? A fan pointing at you can help too. It does for me.

You're just going to have to figure out what works for you... Different strokes for different folks.

[Wreckless]

Yeah it's hard if you're a night owl lol. I went to bed around 12 last night but didn't fall asleep for about 30/45 mins and I got up at 6:30, I woke up at 5 so I got about 4 and a half hours but I slept all yesterday afternoon cause I wasn't feeling well, so I got about 12 hours within the 2. Now that I start early, my body will adjust to getting up early.

[veggie-tari-jenn]

count me in I am such a night owl and up really late even when I have to be up really early...I always plan on going to bed early but it never works out that way...and I am not a morning person at all.

[catlover79]

Originally Posted by Schmoopie

I have this problem too, and I hate it! I am forever trying to get to bed early and it rarely happens!

Andrea

That's the story of my life, sweetie!

[Schmoopie]

Originally Posted by PZelda

Be forewarned... Benadryl and other sleep aids (this goes for melatonin also, which is a sleep aid but I don't think everybody knows this) can make you heavy-headed after waking up.

Years ago, I told a doctor that I was having trouble sleeping and she actually told me to start taking Benadryl at night; even though I didn't have any reason for taking it other than the sleep deprivation.

I think my staying up late is an omen, because last night I was exhausted. I actually feel asleep around midnight (that's EARLY for me!). Around 2am, I woke up literally choking because of acid reflux (talk about burning!). I took some Zantac, and it helped, but it took me forever (till past 3am) to get back to sleep. So it didn't do me any good to go to sleep early.

Andrea

[Wreckless]

Yeah 12 is early for me too Andrea lol and that's what time I went to bed last night too. Looked at the clock at around 5:30 am, then fell back asleep for about 45 mins, then couldn't fall back asleep so I woke & stayed up at 6 30- lol.