| My trick is to listen to the tv rather than watch it when I’m trying to fall asleep. Put on a show you are very familiar with so you recognize the voices of the characters, roll over on your side and close your eyes, and you’ll fall asleep. |
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For me, when my sleep is off I can sometimes get back on an early track quickly by giving myself one really crap night of sleep -- staying up until 2+ am and waking up by 6 and then no naps the next day but go to bed by 9 pm.
I also have to be in a dark or dimly lit place for a significant amount of time to get sleepy, so I read on an iPad, but in the dark with the blue light off. I turn off a lot of lights in the house after 9 pm. I also sleep better when the house is cold at night - 65 degrees. The cold makes me want to get under the covers & makes me sleepy. |
You wake up at 7:30 and are at work (even with a short commute) at 8 AM? Do you sleep in your work clothes? |
Pretty much this. |
| Not sure if you take vitamins. Vitamin D and my multivitamin both wake me up. When I take them too late in the day they can keep me awake. |
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Hey, we go to bed at about 1 or even later. Sleep to 8 or 9. Husband sleeps more than that. We are both serious night owls, hubs is really non 24 if I'm being honest. He actually can skip a night's sleep by traveling and not making up the time, he's been doing that for 30 years.
We worked from home, self employed. Not everyone has this luxury. But before this I had to be at work by 7:15, and still went to sleep very late, we both averaged about 5 hours did that for years. Not recommending it, I know we are different. This is my circadian rhythm, would like to change but spouse never will. When I try, I barely see him. We can't eat together, spend time together etc. |
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Magnesium gummies or magnesium foot rub
Also no caffeine after 2 Exercise (cardio) |
| In addition to waking up and getting out of bed around the same time every day, go for a walk first thing in the morning. Your brain needs that sunshine to help set your circadian rhythm. |
Wow there is no way I could get showered, dressed, drink water or coffee, out the door with even a next block over commute in only 30 minutes! |
| OP I really want to know your morning routine to wake at 730 and be at work at 8! Do you make coffee? Breakfast? I feel like I need at least 1 hr to get organized before work, I’d love to hear if you have any shortcuts? |
OP here- I wake up, brush my teeth, wash my face, put on lotion. I put on clothes that I've laid out the night before. I straighten and curl my hair at night and it stays nice for 3 days (I sleep in a silk bonnet). I actually can wake up at 7:45 and still make it to work by 8. My commute is less than a mile and it's about 6 minutes door to door. I make coffee at work and put on makeup during my regular 9am meeting that I have to listen to (there aren't cameras on. I find that doing my makeup helps me focus whereas otherwise I'd be checking email and getting distracted). I don't eat breakfast. I hear you all saying I need to wake up earlier, but I can't get to work before 8. I often work with the west coast, so working 7-3:30pm would not be popular with my job. |
Do it anyway. Start going for a walk in the morning or do another type of workout. Get involved with taking care of your children. Read in the morning instead of at night. Whatever. The only way you are going to reset your clock and make yourself tired enough to fall asleep earlier is if you force yourself to get up earlier and get less sleep for a bit. You can wake up earlier and still only get to work at 8am. |
If you got up earlier than 7:30, you could do something other than "get ready for work." You could talk a walk, read your book, help your DH with the kids, etc. all before 8 AM. |
This. You can clean, exercise, do yoga, work on a hobby. There's no reason you can't get up earlier to do other things - you just don't want to. |