Cannot fall asleep naturally at a reasonable time -- what do you recommend?

[Anonymous]

What are some tricks and tips for getting genuinely sleepy and going to bed when you're not tired at all? Has anyone ever successfully reset her sleep rhythms? I am incapable of falling asleep before 1 a.m., usually it's 2 a.m. There is nothing legitimate keeping me up this late, like a baby or work. I was thinking of setting the alarm at some ungodly-for-me hour for several days in a row, hoping this would cause me to pass out earlier and therefore reset the clock.

[Anonymous]

Don't work out late, cut caffeine.

Maybe try a morning workout?

[Anonymous]

No alcohol or caffeine at all, ever.

Always get up at the same time in the morning, even on weekends.

Light exercise before 5pm. Mornings are best.

No heavy meals at night.

Glass of milk or herbal tea at night to relax you.

No TV on. Pitch dark. Very cool room to sleep in.

If this fails, I take a Benedryl.

[Anonymous]

Maybe you should take melatonin? If this is a recent phenomenon, you might want to have a full physical, too.

[Anonymous]

you might want to consider going to a sleep clinic

[Anonymous]

Yoga has really helped me start sleeping better. It calms the mind.

[Anonymous]

Work out before 3 pm.

[Anonymous]

Valerian capsules. It's an herb - you can get at Whole Foods.

[Anonymous]

Benedryl for about three nights. Then keep with the time you established in the routine. I have to do this every few months because my eternal clock is just set to sleep from 2am to 10am.

[Anonymous]

Do you take allergy medication? I started taking mine at night in lieu of Benadryl, Tylenol PM and the like. Works great and saves me taking an extra medication.

[Anonymous]

Melatonin worked well for me. It really helped and was natural. None of the other natural recommendations (no caffeine, don't read in bed, keep a regular waking time, don't work out late in the evening but do work out, etc) helped at all and even prescription sleep medication failed to knock me out! Melatonin was no miracle drug, but it honestly helped. Not sure if you're pregnant, but i stopped taking it with this pregnancy just to be safe. Not sure if it's approved or not as I'm not taking any drugs I don't truly "need." The good news it that my sleep cycles are kind of naturally better now.

[Anonymous]

I've tried all the usual recommendations (no caffeine, no alcohol, stick to a routine, etc etc) and it never worked for me. If it's 11:30 and I'm wide awake, I take half a benedryl. My internal clock is quite exact... I fall asleep easily between 1 and 2am, and wake up naturally around 10am. No matter what. Unfortunately, the world isn't set to my clock.

Here's an article on how to re-set your internal clock. I didn't try it, but it was an interesting read. It had some new ideas: http://www.slate.com/id/2193208/

[Anonymous]

Another recommendation for Melatonin. Actually, I'm kind of addicted to it, though I just found out that I am pregnant and need to find out if I should stop taking it. Ugh.

[Anonymous]

OP here, these are some good ideas. My circadian rhythm is set in stone to sleep from 2 a.m to 10 a.m., and as one PP noted, the grown up world doesn't comply with me.

Q: When do you actually take the benadryl or the melatonin? Is it right before you want to sleep I assume, like a sleeping pill?

[Anonymous]

Also, do either benadryl or melatonin make you feel funny in the morning when you wake up / ie, a hangover type feeling?
I have the terrible habit of watching tv in my room before bed, and often stay up late / fall asleep watching it...