Tips to get back a healthy “Early to bed,early to rise regime”

Question

I feel a little bit of a back-story is necessary here:

I was an under-grad student up until last year. I had this habit of sleeping way too late and waking up with time enough to get to classes on schedule. (I used to sleep intermittently in classes, but they didn't affect my grades, so oh well). Then I worked at a software company, until recently. Somehow, I got into the pattern of going to bed on time and waking up on time.

But now that I've quit my job and I'm about to get back to continuing my post-grad education, I find myself with no compulsion to go to sleep early. This habit started out as fun, but now I find myself awake all night (like up to 4 or 5am), and I sleep throughout the day (up to around 4 pm). Ridiculous, I know.

My classes are due to commence in a couple of weeks, and if I don't find a way to get back to my usual healthy pattern, it's not going to be easy for me, to say the least. What do I do?

Answer 1

1. Set an alarm clock to wake up at 9am. (Yes, I realize this only gives you 4 hours of sleep one night)
2. Have a groggy tired day with breakfast, lunch and dinner at the times you want to eat them on the new schedule.
3. Go to sleep early after that day - but force yourself to stay up until 10pm or so to get back on a normal schedule
4. Wake up at the desired time on the second day.

Also, read up on tips for dealing with jet lag. Even though you haven't traveled, that is essentially where you are.

Answer 2

You have 3 options.

1. Set an alarm for 9am as said by Jeanne, struggle through the day with lots of coffee then fall asleep.

2. Set your alarm for 2pm then the next day, 12, then the next day 10am and then 8am to gradually get your sleeping pattern back to normal.

3. Do an all nighter, not really advised, but stay away about 20 hours and fall asleep at 9pm.

Answer 3

Basically you'll be dealing with jet lag so act accordingly.

If you have access to it, melatonin about 30 minutes before the time that I'm supposed to go to bed helps me a lot to combat jet lag. I take it and then I actually go to bed and try to sleep. Most of the time I manage to sleep.

Answer 4

You sound ambitious so just realize that you will never hit your potential unless you become an early riser. Late starts will compromise your goals. This is not a difficult thing to do, it requires only determination. Resolve to do it and make it another step in becoming somebody truly great.

Answer 5

Sunshine is a really good clue to your body that you should be awake - so if you can arrange matters so that you are woken up by natural light (or you leave your alarm clock on the windowsill so you have to open curtains to get to it) then you might find that helps out a lot...