[Chasingsleep]

Hi everyone,

I was wondering if anybody suffers with the same issue of getting tired too early and waiting to go to sleep at a reasonable time and then not being able to go to sleep. I get up at 6am for work and come 8/9pm I can barely hold my eyes open. I end up forcing myself to stay up until 10/11 and then end up not being able to fall asleep. Does anyone have any suggestions?

[hiker]

Hi Chasingsleep, I think you have an insight in the name you have chosen. Chasing sleep indeed. I totally relate to wanting to track it down, grab it and hold onto it, and not wanting it to get away. And then after you have been up all day, wanting it to be there on call, exactly when you want.

But it seems to have a mind of its own.

I read that the inventor Thomas Edison would sleep when he was sleepy, regardless what time day or night. Then stay up while he was alert, again regardless of the time. I think that guitarist Keith Richards does the same, or at least did when he was younger. But both were self-employed and did not have to adhere to a set schedule. I am presuming that like most people, you have to be at work at a certain time.

Still, perhaps you still have some flexibility. Do you have a chance to nap during the day, if only just to close your eyes in a quiet spot for five minutes, regardless whether you fall asleep?
How do you feel about letting yourself sleep when you feel sleepy at 8/9pm? If this means you wake up at say 3am instead of your customary 6am, is that a bad thing if you feel rested?

You might want to check out Martin’s materials about sleep restriction as well.

Sleep is weird. I do know that trying to control it doesn’t work all that well. And do I know how badly we want to sometimes!

[Author]

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