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How to fix your sleep schedule (circadian rhythm)

The holidays are slowly coming to an end. As sad as it may be, there`s really nothing we could do to extend it, except prepare for the inevitable. That’s why I have gathered a few tips to help you fix your sleep schedule (also known as circadian rhythm.) Because let’s be honest, the majority of us have been sleeping at the most random hours.

1. Start early

Remember Rome wasn’t built in a day.

The best way to fix your sleep schedule is to start a week or two in advance. This way your body and circadian clock have enough time to adjust. Just think about it, you’ve been sleeping for days late at night, it isn’t going to take a day or two to fix your sleep schedule.

2. Sleep an hour earlier each day

Let’s say you sleep at 4 A.M every day and decide to start fixing your circadian rhythm on Monday. Then on Tuesday, you’ll have to be in bed at 3 A.M. On Wednesday, it’ll be 2 A.M and so forth… You’ll continue till you are naturally waking up at the desired time.

This way you are aware of how many hours of sleep your body needs to wake up naturally without an alarm and have a sleeping routine tailored to you.

3. Stay away from electronic

Okay, not forever. Just an hour before you get in bed.

The reason is that your body produces a hormone called melatonin, which controls your sleep cycle. When you use your phone, the blue light interferes with the production of melatonin. So you are less likely to sleep early.

If it’s impossible to stay away from your phone or laptop before bed. The second best option is to use a blue light filter on your device. Some electronics already have a blue light filter installed and you can adjust it to automatically turn on a couple of hours before your bedtime.

4. Darken your room

Since you have to avoid blue light before bed, you should completely darken your room. When it’s dark, your body produces more melatonin.

Sleeping in a dark room has multiple benefits:

  1. It enhances your health. Studies have shown that people who sleep with the light on, have a 50% increase in body fat.
  2. You get a better quality of sleep.
  3. Protects the skin from ageing, as it helps speed the skin regeneration process

if it’s not possible to darken your room. An alternative could be to use an eye mask.

5. Reduce your coffee intake

It won’t work if you drink a cup of coffee two hours before your bedtime, because you won’t be able to sleep then. So you’ll stay awake for a longer period of time and mess up your sleep cycle, or quit and decide to do something else since you can’t sleep.

The thumb rule is to not drink coffee six hours before your bedtime.

Fixing your sleep schedule in a short span of time

Wouldn’t recommend doing this, but sometimes not all of us have a week to fix our sleep schedule. Therefore, we need excessive methods.

1. Stay awake

This method is effective if you do it 3 days before your sleep schedule deadline.

  1. Day 1: you stay awake the entire day and avoid sleeping or taking naps. You only sleep at your preferred bedtime.
  2. Day 2: Make sure you are in bed at the same time as day 1.
  3. Day 3: Wake up with an alarm.

2. Wake up at all cost

This method is similar to the one above and less intense. It’s also best to have a minimum of 3 days.

  1. Day 1: Doesn’t matter how many hours of sleep you had the previous night, you have to force yourself to wake up at a specific time.
  2. Day 2: Do not take a nap or sleep. Since you didn’t sleep enough on day 1, you are more likely to feel sleepy easily. But stay it till your bedtime.
  3. Day 3: Wake up at the same time as day 1. On this day, you won’t feel as tired as on day 2 and will be more energized.

Summary

The methods I’ve mentioned above, need a lot of willpower and dedication. Despite it being the fastest way to fix your schedule, you won’t be really productive in the span of those days and feel really sleepy. So you have the time, try fixing your sleep schedule a week or two in advance.

I hope I was able to help you in some way, the same way you helped me by reading this article. If you have any more tips, you can comment it below. You can subscribe to our newsletter, to get updated on similar posts.

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