How to Fix Your Sleep Schedule: 12 Tips

Throughout the day, your internal clock rotates between sleep and wakefulness. This 24-hour sleep-wake cycle is known as our circadian rhythm.

Your internal clock is located in a part of the brain called the hypothalamus. It responds to external cues that tell your body it’s time to go to bed.

Sometimes, your circadian rhythm can get thrown off due to:

• shift work
• all-nighters
• jet lag
• traveling across time zones

Luckily, there are things you can do to improve sleep hygiene and reset your internal clock.

Here are 12 ways to work your way back to a good night’s sleep.

One of the best ways to fix your sleep schedule is to plan your exposure to light.

When you’re exposed to light, your brain stops producing melatonin, the sleep hormone. This makes you feel awake and alert.

Darkness tells your brain to make more melatonin, so you feel drowsy.

In the morning, exposing yourself to light can help you wake up. Try opening the curtains, taking a walk, or relaxing on the porch.

At night, prime yourself for sleep by turning off or dimming bright lights. You should also avoid glowing electronic screens from computers, smartphones, or television, as they can stimulate your brain for several hours.

Making time for relaxation might help you sleep better.

When you’re stressed or anxious, your body produces more cortisol, the stress hormone. The higher the cortisol, the more awake you feel.

Creating a relaxing bedtime ritual may reduce stress and its negative effects on sleep.

Focus on calming activities, such as:

• yoga
• stretching
• meditation
• deep breathing
• journaling
• drinking caffeine-free tea

If your sleep schedule is out of whack, avoid naps during the day. Napping can make it difficult to go back to sleep at night.

Long naps might also cause grogginess, which is the result of waking up from deep sleep.

If you must nap, aim for less than 30 minutes. It’s also best to nap before 3 p.m. so your nighttime sleep isn’t disrupted.

One way to reset your internal clock is getregular exercise.

Most of your tissues — including skeletal muscle — are linked to your biological clock. So, when you work out, muscle responds by aligning your circadian rhythm.

Exercise also helps you sleep better by promoting melatonin production.

Thirty minutes of moderate aerobic exercise may improve your sleep quality that same night. However, you’ll get the best results if you exercise regularly. Aim for 30 minutes of moderate aerobic activity at least five times a week.

Keep in mind that evening exercise can overstimulate your body. If you want to exercise at night, do it at least one to two hours before bedtime.

A quiet sleeping environment is a must for a good night’s rest.

Your brain continues to process sounds, even as you snooze. Loud, distracting noises can make it difficult to fall asleep or stay asleep.

To remove loud noises, keep your television out of the bedroom and turn it off before bedtime. Turn off your cell phone or use the “silent” setting.

If you live in a noisy neighborhood, white noise can help you get quality sleep.

White noise is a soothing, steady sound that masks environmental noise. You can create white noise by using a:

• fan
• air conditioner
• humidifier
• air purifier
• white noise machine

You can also wear ear plugs to block outside sounds.

Just before bedtime, your body temperature drops to prepare for sleep.

A cool bedroom temperature — between 60 and 67°F (15 to 19°C) — will help you feel comfortable and doze off.

One 2012 study from the National Institutes of Health found that the temperature of the room where you sleep is one of the most important factors in achieving quality sleep.

Anything below 54°F (12°C) or higher than 75°F (24°C) might disrupt your slumber, so be sure to adjust your thermostat.

You can also use an air conditioner or fan during warmer weather, or a space heater during cold weather. These offer the extra benefit of creating white noise.

A comfortable bed is the best sleeping environment for a good night’s rest.

Old mattresses and pillows can cause aches and pains, making it difficult to get quality sleep.

Generally, experts suggest replacing your mattresses every 10 years and pillows every two years.

You should also get a new mattress or pillow if you wake up feeling stiff, or if you feel more comfortable sleeping on a bed away from home.

The firmness of your mattresses and pillows is up to you. But if your mattress is saggy and your pillows are lumpy, it’s time for a replacement.

Want suggestions? Browse our market, filled with editor-trusted and expert-verified pillow and mattress recommendations.

Your circadian rhythm also responds to your eating habits.

A late dinner can delay sleep, so eat your last meal two to three hours before bed. This will give your body enough time to digest the meal.

Eating dinner around the same time each day will also get your body used to a routine.

It matters what you eat, too. Heavy, high-fat meals might disrupt sleep because they take a while to digest.

If you’re hungry, eat a light snack. The best foods for sleep include a combination of carbs and protein, such as wheat toast and almond butter.

Avoid caffeinated drinks like coffee, tea, or energy drinks. As a stimulant, caffeine takes several hours to wear off, so have your last cup before mid-afternoon.

It’s also best to skip alcohol before bed. A nightcap might make you drowsy, but alcohol actually disrupts your circadian rhythm, making it difficult to sleep well.

If you want to fix your sleep schedule, it helps to make one first.

Choose a bedtime and wake-up time. Stick to these times every day, even on weekends or days off. Try to avoid staying up or sleeping in for more than one to two hours.

By following a regular schedule, your internal clock can develop a new routine. Over time, you’ll be able to fall asleep and wake up with ease.

When you eat and digest food, your internal clock knows that you’re awake. That’s because metabolism and circadian rhythm are closely linked.

On the other hand, fasting puts your body on “standby” so it can repair itself. Fasting is also a normal part of sleep.

Try skipping food just before bedtime. Since fasting naturally happens during sleep, it may help you doze off.

Plus, your body continues to burn calories during sleep. If you fast before bed, you’re more likely to feel hungry in the morning. This might motivate you to rise early, then return to a normal sleep schedule over the next few days.

But remember, going to bed on an empty stomach can keep you awake. Fasting may be useful if you aren’t already hungry.

As mentioned earlier, melatonin is a hormone that regulates your sleep cycle.

Melatonin is normally made by the pineal gland in the brain, but it’s also available as a supplement. It can promote relaxation, so people with jet lag or insomnia often use it as a sleep aid.

At the proper dose, melatonin is generally considered safe. Always follow the instructions.

Possible side effects include:

• drowsiness
• headache
• nausea
• dizziness

If you’re taking other medications or have other health conditions, check with your doctor before using melatonin.

It’s normal to have sleep problems every now and then.

Usually, changing behaviors or habits can restore your routine. But if sleep troubles persist, visit your doctor.

You might have an undiagnosed sleep disorder. If so, a sleep specialist can guide you through proper treatment.

Shift work, all-nighters, and jet lag can mess with your sleep schedule. Fortunately, practicing good sleep hygiene can get you back on track.

Before bed, avoid bright lights and heavy meals. Make sure your sleeping environment is comfortable, quiet, and cool. During the day, stay active and skip naps so you can sleep better.

If you still can’t sleep well, visit to your doctor.

How to Reset Your Sleep Cycle

Written by Rachel Reiff Ellis

• Starting From Behind
• Preparing for Disruptions
• Travel and Time Changes
• Living With a Newborn Baby
• Shift Work
• Stress
• More

If you have chronic insomnia, you’ve likely been working with your doctor or a sleep specialist on ways to get more quality sleep. But sometimes, life can thwart the best-laid sleep plans. Travel, a newborn baby, shift work, and other disruptions can get in the way of your insomnia-busting habits.

Interruptions to sleep schedules can be hard on anyone. But when you have chronic insomnia, you’re already behind the curve.

“You don’t have the same sleep reserves built up,” says Tracy Chisholm, PsyD, a behavioral sleep medicine psychologist at the Portland VA Medical Center. “You’re likely to have an even harder time recovering from additional sleep disruptions because you were already struggling to operate on less than a full tank. ”

You’re also more likely to dwell on the sleep you’re losing, which can trigger a negative feedback loop. “In other words, you worry about it more,” says Chisholm. “And guess what definitely does not help improve your sleep? Worry. This can become a vicious cycle.”

There are practical steps you can take to help prevent or cope with sleep loss in situations that are out of your control. You can also try adjusting your mindset.

“Many times, people go into scenarios like travel assuming they’ll have difficulties with their sleep, but sometimes a change in environment can actually help you sleep better,” says Ina Djonlagic, MD, a neurologist and sleep medicine specialist at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.

Bottom line: Don’t expect the worst, but practice good habits to prepare in case things go awry.

Here’s how to get back on track when certain situations mess with your sleep schedule.

Different time zones, strange beds in strange rooms, environments that aren’t comfortable — there are a host of ways travel can keep you from getting your ZZZs. Try these tips before your trip:

Head off jet lag. Slowly adjust your sleep schedule at home before you leave.

“About a week or two before you depart, start shifting your bedtime and wake time in small increments, to more closely match your destination time zone,” says Chisholm.

If you’re going somewhere very far away, wait until you get there and then start by following local mealtimes and sleep times, says Chisholm. Go to bed when night comes, and get up when it’s light.

Try temporary aids. Some people find low-dose melatonin or timed exposure to light to be helpful when they travel. “Correctly timing these interventions is key for effectiveness,” Chisholm says. “Consult with a sleep specialist if you’re interested in either of these approaches.”

Babies spare no one from sleep disruption. You’re at the mercy of your newborn’s sleep-wake cycle, which won’t be the same as yours. “Babies have much shorter sleep cycles than adults — 50 to 60 minutes, as opposed to our 90- to 110-minute cycles,” says Chisholm. Babies also need to eat every 2 to 3 hours.

The key is to get good sleep when you can and know things will gradually get better. You can try to:

• Sleep when your baby sleeps.
• Build up breast milk reserves by pumping between feedings, and ask a partner, friend, or family member to take over feedings when you sleep.

The term “shift work” can include evening, graveyard, or early morning shifts, as well as fixed or rotating schedules. Rotating schedules that change from one day to the next tend to be the worst for sleep. Flip-flopping your days and nights can take a toll on your health.

“Unregulated schedules are so hard that my best advice is to try to see if you can work a different schedule that better fits healthy sleep patterns,” says Djonlagic. If that’s just not possible, you can try to:

• Keep the same bedtime, wake time, and mealtimes every day of the week, even on your days off. This helps keep your internal clock set around your work schedule.
• Allow yourself enough time to wind down after work before trying to fall asleep. Don’t just come home and crash.
• Use ear plugs or white noise to help you fall asleep and stay asleep without interruption if you sleep during the day. You can also wear an eye mask and use blackout curtains.
• Stay ahead of your brain. “If your commute home happens as the sun is rising, consider wearing blue light-blocking glasses so your brain doesn’t think that you’re about to start a whole new day,” says Chisholm.

Stress turns on your fight-or-flight response, which isn’t restful at all. In fact, it prevents sleep.

“From your body’s perspective, it’s like you’re trying to sleep while a saber-toothed tiger is lurking right outside your cave,” says Chisholm. She recommends these tips:

• Create a relaxing sleep routine that you follow every night. Make sure the final steps in this routine involve a non-stimulating activity that you enjoy. “I often recommend those with insomnia read, listen to audiobooks or calming music, or practice relaxation techniques,” says Chisholm.
• Avoid watching the news or discussing intense topics right before bed. Doing those things can keep your mind and body from feeling relaxed.
• Exercise regularly, but make sure you finish at least a few hours before bedtime.
• If you have a lot on your mind, write it down, at least an hour or so before bed, to help your brain “let it go” just for the rest of the night. You can always come back to your notes in the morning.
• Consider seeking support from family, friends, or professionals to help you manage stress.

“The most important thing to keep in mind is that if you already have chronic insomnia, don’t wait to get treatment — especially if you anticipate even more sleep disruptions,” says Chisholm. “Addressing chronic insomnia first can help you better cope when these common sleep disruptors occur.”

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How to restore sleep patterns: tips from a somnologist 01/09/2022

Society

08:07 | January 9, 2022

6

Photo:
KazanFirst

Author of the article:
Anastasia Marukhina

Many of us spent the New Year holidays in an unusual mode for ordinary days – we walk at night, sleep during the day. It will take two weeks to return to a normal schedule. We tell you how to do it.

Usually, with the onset of the holiday weekend, our usual sleep patterns are disrupted. We, having the opportunity to sleep longer, use it to our heart’s content: we sleep longer than usual, we go to bed much later than usual. But going to bed later than 2 hours of the regimen is fraught with consequences, somnologists warn.

– If a person falls asleep later, sleeps until noon, and this happens within one or two days, then this can pass without harm to health due to the large compensatory capabilities of our body. If we are talking about the duration of such a weekend of about two weeks, a complete change in the daily regimen, low activity, sleep until noon, it will be very difficult to get out of this state, – says a somnologist at the University Clinic of KFU Lilia Shagiakhmetova .

Some people have serious sleep problems: insomnia, inability to fall asleep and wake up on time.

– Sleep is a huge part of our life. It is very important that it is complete and correct. It is also important that, upon waking up, a person feels well-rested, alert and full of energy, in a good mood, the specialist notes.

So why does a broken regime lead to bad consequences? It has to do with melatonin. This hormone is the main hormone of the pineal gland – an organ that transmits information about the light regime of the environment to the internal environment of the body. Changes in melatonin concentration have a noticeable diurnal rhythm – typically high levels of the hormone during the night and low levels during the day. The maximum values ​​of melatonin concentration in human blood are observed between midnight and five o’clock in the morning local time.

It should be noted that most growth hormone (growth and fat burning hormone) is produced during sleep, the peak of its production occurs at the same intervals as melatonin: approximately from midnight to two or three hours. It is he who helps to effectively burn fat and lose weight in a dream.

There is also a stereotype that lack of sleep, or vice versa, excess sleep affects our brain. However, Lilia Shagiakhmetova noted that according to the data of a study conducted on rats (the experiment took place in America, in the laboratory of Rechtshaffen in 1990s), the brain, if it suffers, is the last thing.

– Changes occurred in the gastrointestinal tract, heart, lungs, liver of rodents. The most healthy organ that was not involved in the pathological process is the brain, says the somnologist.

The brain, according to a KFU specialist, does not sleep: during the day it functions in one mode, at night – in another.

It will take about two weeks to get back to sleep and get back to work. Systematic going to bed and waking up at the same time will help speed up the process, notes Shagiakhmetova. There is an opinion that it is better to go to bed before 12 o’clock at night. However, this is not at all the case. The key to good sleep is its regularity.

– If a person falls asleep every day at 10:00 pm and wakes up at 6:00 am, then the body adapts to this time. It is necessary to stick to your work schedule – get up and go to bed at about the same time, plus half an hour, throughout the working week, including weekends, the expert recommends.

She also reminded that the norm for an adult is 7-9 hours of sleep.

In order to fall asleep faster and have a sound sleep, Lilia Shagiakhmetova advised to limit the amount of light in the room in the evening hours, including minimizing the glow of TV screens, computers and telephones. You should also move more and minimize the consumption of caffeinated drinks in the afternoon.

– How we sleep depends on how active we are during the day. The more physical activity during the day, the easier it will be to fall asleep, the sleep will be stronger. Before going to bed, it is recommended to take walks in the fresh air, the expert gives advice.

The somnologist emphasized that a person should come to sleep in a calm state of mind.

– You should try to leave problems “behind” the bedroom. The atmosphere in this room is very important: starting with the air temperature, so that it is neither cold nor hot. Comfortable temperature for sleep – from 19up to 21 degrees. It is better to be cool, then the dream will be stronger, – Shagiakhmetova indicated.

For those who have been overloaded during the day, the somnologist recommends creating a calm environment with subdued lights, taking a warm shower or bath. The specialist also does not exclude the benefits of reading literature or listening to soothing music.

In order not to have problems with restoring sleep, Lilia Shagiakhmetova once again reminds us that it is necessary to observe the daily routine even on weekends and holidays.

– Go to bed at the same time every day and wake up the same way. Otherwise, an imbalance occurs, the program of normal sleep goes astray, – sums up the somnologist.

Read also: Safe New Year: doctors gave advice on how to celebrate the holiday without injuries

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Tags:

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sleeping mode,
somnologist,
KFU,
health,
Lilia Shagiakhmetova

How to restore your sleep pattern: 9 tips

Quality sleep gives energy, improves mood and concentration. Long weekends can be an opportunity to adjust sleep patterns, develop rituals before falling asleep, and come up with comfortable ways to wake up. Indeed, these days, many do not need to get up every day on an alarm clock at 7 in the morning. We tell you how to restore the sleep pattern and keep it even after a long weekend

What kind of sleep can be considered quality

Adolescents need 8-10 hours of sleep and feel good, adults 7-9 hours, and the elderly 7-8 hours. So say data from the US National Sleep Foundation. However, even if you sleep 9 hours, this does not always mean that you can get enough sleep.

The quality of sleep is not determined by hours spent in bed, but by how well a person sleeps. There are several indicators according to which your sleep can be considered quality:

• You fall asleep within 30 minutes or less.

• You usually sleep soundly, waking no more than once a night.

• You fall asleep again within 20 minutes if you do wake up.

• You can get the recommended number of hours of sleep for your age group.

• Waking up in the morning, you feel rested and full of energy.

What are circadian rhythms and how they affect sleep

Circadian rhythms are fluctuations in biological processes that usually fit into a 24-hour cycle. These rhythms exist in many living beings. For example, thanks to these rhythms, flowers open and close at a certain time. In humans, circadian rhythms control physical and psychological processes and maintain a balance between sleep and wakefulness.

Circadian rhythms are affected by light. The eyes are exposed to it and transmit information to the brain, which, in turn, sends wakefulness signals to the body. At night, the amount of light decreases. The brain sends other signals that allow the body to relax and fall asleep. Thus, the circadian rhythm helps synchronize the body’s internal clock with the external environment.

In today’s world, circadian rhythms are constantly disrupted, which means that sleep patterns are also disrupted. This happens for a number of reasons, including:0003

• Change of time zones.

• Shift work . The cycle of sleep and wakefulness gets confused if people work at night and sleep during the day, or alternate day and night shifts in one week.

• Exposure to artificial light. In nature, circadian rhythms evolved under the influence of sunlight. But the brain of a modern person reacts in the same way to sources of artificial lighting. It is no coincidence that doctors advise to give up scrolling social networks before going to bed. The light from the screen of gadgets knocks down signals that notify of the onset of day or night.

• No sleep schedule . Many do not have a set bedtime and wake-up time. Or the sleep schedule varies greatly between weekdays and weekends.

• Coffee and energy drinks. Stimulants may give a brief feeling of alertness. But at the same time, they disrupt the body’s ability to naturally balance between sleep and wakefulness.

• Stress and emotional difficulties . Many sleep problems stem from stress, anxiety, depression, and other psychological issues. The brain in such states may begin to work differently. For example, its activity increases before going to bed, and during the day, when you need to be awake, it will slow down. Because of this, you will need to restore sleep mode.

All these factors spoil the quality of sleep. This, in turn, can lead to insomnia, constant hunger, overeating, and weight gain. And such a dream can also cause chronic fatigue, which will reduce concentration and worsen mood. In addition, poor sleep quality may increase the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. To prevent this from happening, you need to establish a sleep pattern that will meet individual biological and social needs.

How to restore sleep patterns

People are “creatures of habit”. We act according to patterns of behavior that are developed through the repetition of certain signals and reactions to them. You can create repeating signals for yourself that will help you fall asleep quickly, sleep peacefully throughout the night and wake up easily.

Here are some tips to help you get back to sleep:

1. Try to get enough sleep. Ideally, you should give yourself a couple of days to sleep as much as you want. Building a new sleep schedule will turn into torture if you haven’t slept at all for a couple of weeks.

2. Try to monitor your sleep. A smartwatch or smartphone app (such as Sleep as Android or Sleep Cycle) can roughly show whether you wake up at night, what your heart rate is, how deep or interrupted your sleep is. If there are no such applications, then you can simply wake up without an alarm clock a couple of times. This will give you an idea of ​​how many hours of sleep you need to feel good and wake up easily.

3. Select your bedtime and wake up time . It is important that you can actually stick to it and that it would be enough to get enough sleep.

4. For a start, you can try to focus only on the time of waking up or falling asleep. Don’t torture yourself. Fix only one part of your schedule. Let at first only one time period become familiar and comfortable.

5. Try adjusting your schedule in 15 or 30 minute increments over several days. If it is difficult to immediately change old habits, then start going to bed a quarter of an hour earlier every day. So the body will gradually adapt to the new routine.

6. Follow your sleep routine every day, even on weekends. If you go to bed on weekends and wake up later, you are actually creating a jet lag. So when your alarm clock wakes you up at 7am on a Monday, your body will think it’s nighttime. And the awakening will again turn into a test.

7. Stop setting your alarm in the morning. It’s tempting to set your alarm clock early so you can take a nap after the first ring. However, this is a bad habit. Interrupted sleep in the morning is not of high quality, in addition, several abrupt awakenings in a row negatively affect the heart. Therefore, it is better to get up immediately after the first call.

8. Create a routine before bed and after waking up. Sequential signals play an important role in the daily routine. If you manage to perform the same actions before going to bed (dimming the lights, brushing your teeth, reading, meditating), then gradually these actions will become signals that it’s time to get ready for bed.