Sleeping Problems

[DazDaryl]

For some reason I just cant get my sleeping pattern correct, which means i cant get employment, I've tried almost every sleeping pill there is even taking 30mg of valium doesn't seem to help. Stillnox and other sleeping pills dont seem to work either. I've even had my drinks spiked before and managed to just walk home as if i was just increadibly drunk to pass out. my body just wants to wake up late in the afternoon (like 5pm) and then going to sleep at like 8am, I dont know why this happends and my doctors dont really know what to do either.

Obviosly this makes getting any form of regular employment almost impossible, at first i thought all this was my own fault because i seem to get alot of good ideas at night in terms of creating art/animation, but i just cant correct this.

Its really causing me alot of problems in life and I dont know what to do.

Maybe I should really start thinking about getting disability benefits (i allready get unemployment benefits but it doesn't really cover those occasional extras like getting my comp fixed.

Or maybe i should just focus on making websites freelance so then atleast i can just do my work in these hours.

Is this a problem other creative minds have?
Do you draw at nighttime or daytime?
Anyone heard of a problem like this?

[dguy]

Ok, I just reread your post, so I guess it's not a medical problem.

[Lez]

I find it awfully funny, and hope that it's not true, that a doctor gave you sleeping pills to 'correct' you. Sleeping pills are not kind to your body and not real sleep for the matter.

The only suggestion I have to your problem is ... Decide what's most important too you - a job or a creative mind and don't blame your body on something that's ultimatly caused by you. I'm sure you could use an alarm clock, go up in the morning... if you wanted too.

You could also have a problem I guess, in witch case you should make a goodle on sleep disorders or something and try to to from there.

Over and out,
Lez

[Nettle_Mountain]

Now that sounds, have you tried to force your sleeping pattern naturally?

When i came back from japan, the only way to correct 8 hour sleeping difference (different timezones) was to be awake for 35+ hours and after that go to bed. It means i stayed awake one night sleep completely and did go to sleep at the next day night at finnish time, at japan it would have been 6pm but i can tell you it worked.

[DazDaryl]

Lez, if a pill heaps me get to sleep at a regular hour, then theres the chance that i'll be able to make that into a routine and get off the sleeping pills,

and dGuy, I'm not creative because i have a sleeping disorder, its just that if i start a project at say 5pm, i can continue working without hassle to 8am and its also quiter at night, not one of those, "he has a disorder which makes him a creative genius" theories. actually even though my ideas are better, i think my art would benefit from a regular sleeping pattern.

my question is, how do other artists sleep?

[RoboBobo]

I'm kind of in the same boat by going to bed about 4am and waking up at 1:30. But it's by choice really. Your sleeping schedule is just messed up because its on 3rd shift! as stupid as it sounds, your gonna have to force yourself to go to bed earlier. No caffeine. I heard drinking milk before bed is actually very helpful too. But us artists produce the best stuff at night lol.

[kennygeeze]

Employment?

I don't know if you're looking for something in the art field but why don't you work night crew somewhere if your body wants to stay up all night.

I did retail night crew one summer to make money for school. 11pm --> 7:00am was my usual shift.

Why wouldn't you do something like that before collecting unemployment?

The nice thing about night crew is that there's something about it (in my opinion) that makes a long shift go by faster than if it were in the daytime. I'm talking subjectively. I don't know why.

I find it eaiser to have a reasonable "sleep at night" policy these days if I'm around other people alot who happen to sleep at night.

[aesir]

Just stay awake through an entire day. FORCE youself. Dont fucking back off. Its all about will power. Only let yourself go to sleep at midnight or 11 or something. Set 5 or 6 alarm clocks. Make a pot of coffee in the morning to make sure you stay up. Go to the gym Regular exercise is incredibly important for good sleep. Dont do anything on your bed except sleep. You can train your body to want to sleep as soon as you get on your bed if you never do things like your homework or whatever on your bed.

Things are never gonna change unless you make them change.

[Diphallia]

aesir: I did that once, only that I screwed up and managed to make it even worse :P

My tip is to get night time jobs.
At the fuel station, warehouse, at a bar or something like that.
You could sell sex too (that's actually legal in sweden, it's the buying of sex that's illegal :))

I mostly draw at night time if I can.
That's the time when I'm at my best, but I'm a student so I can't do that very often :[.

Good Luck!

[Sepulverture]

I remember when I was younger I had really bad insomnia (still do, but eh) and my doctor suggested to me to take two weeks if you can spare that much time and each night to go to sleep one hour later than the previous night until you reach your desired normal sleep time and that's supposed to help naturally reset your biological clock. One other thing he suggested to me because I also had a lot of problems forcing myself to sleep was to take melatonin, which is a naturally occurring hormone in the human body that helps with sleep. Assuming you haven't tried that yet any new age or general nutrition store should have some on hand. Hope that helps.

Employment?

I don't know if you're looking for something in the art field but why don't you work night crew somewhere if your body wants to stay up all night.

I did retail night crew one summer to make money for school. 11pm --> 7:00am was my usual shift.

Why wouldn't you do something like that before collecting unemployment?

The nice thing about night crew is that there's something about it (in my opinion) that makes a long shift go by faster than if it were in the daytime. I'm talking subjectively. I don't know why.

I find it eaiser to have a reasonable "sleep at night" policy these days if I'm around other people alot who happen to sleep at night.


I actually think that that isn't a terrible suggestion. I currently work a night schedule (the reason for my own screwed up sleep schedule). The downsides to this are obvious: hinders your social life, you have to sleep longer to stay rested because humans are NOT nocturnal creatures. You will probably notice that you feel a bit lathargic

[•Lindsay•]

Like others have said exercise and melatonin should help. But the thing that messes up sleep patterns is stress. Being tired can cause more stress so it can turn into a cycle.

[digital_zombie]

No matter how much sleep I get at night (usually only 3-6 hours) I get my butt up at 7:30 and go to work, dead tired...but I get out at 5pm and then by the time I'm home I am wired and stay up until I am sleepy (12am or 3am) working on various freelance jobs or personal projects or playing video games and repeat the process daily. Even though I need sleeping pills to make me pass out (i'm one of those unfortunate ppl that drugs don't really affect (ask my dentist after 5 shots and I can still feel everything), so I usually take about double the dose plus I also take 3 valerian root) It still takes 1 to 3 hours to pass out, but my boyfriend is out in 5 minutes no matter what and I hate him for it lol.

I seem to sleep better on the weekends b/c I don't have to work and get up early and so I usually stay up til I'm tired then go to sleep and don't set the damn alarm clock...it's the only way I wake up refreshed.

I do notice however that I am and always have been a "night owl", my family however are "larks" they go to bed around 10 and get up at 7am every day all chipper and happy and I am a complete zombie for at least an hour unless I wake up on my own. I have a morning job though....8:30-5pm, mon-fri, no weekends....even the routine of getting up early doesn't work for me...

I am always more productive at night b/c it's when my body is awake and I am at my most creative/inspired.

My circadian rhythm is all outta whack, I have DSPS (delayed sleep-phase syndrome) which explains everything....

Check out the links...you might have the same thing:
Circadian rhythm (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Circadian_rhythm)
Delayed sleep phase syndrome (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delayed_sleep_phase_syndrome)

[Slash]

Daz, i'm in the same boat as you are. I never managed to get a proper sleeping pattern. Drugs never helped.

I never really sorted it out. But I've learned certain tricks to cope with it, like if i have an appointment i'll force myself to stay awake. (forcing yourself to stay awake is a lot easier to force yourself to sleep. I don't know how healthy it is tho, but its an effective solution to a problem.)

Also, if you lead an inactive life you should start working out. Exhausting yourself is a good way of getting tired. It doesn't always work, but can help. And besides, working out is important to your general health. And better health = better sleep.

[Dave Kendall]

Most people's body clocks are just a bit under 24 hours but for some individuals they run at nearer 30 hours. It does mean that they automatically stay up later and later and after a while generally screw up their clocks completely. I did hear a doctor on the radio giving this information so I think it's an acknowledged medical problem. Maybe you need to go to a sleep expert and get them to monitor you in a sleep laboratory.

I do keep very late hours going to sleep at 4 or 5 in the morning, but I always sleep a standard 7-8 hours a day so it works. I can only keep these hours as a freelancer.

[s.ketch]

You need to set a time to wake up. I do it at 8:30 am. No matter what time you go to sleep, wake up at that time. Stay awake all day and then go to sleep when you feel tired. If its late and you feel hungry, dont eat. Your body will be trying to either get fuel or get sleep. Then no matter what time you fall asleep again, wake up at your start time the next morning. Do it on weekends too. Eventually, your body will have no choice but to sleep earlier.

I started a nasty habbit of staying up all night and sleeping all day after i graduated highschool. Its fine if you work a late shift, but humans just cant live nocturnally without becoming unhealthy and slipping into depression.

[John.D]

You need to set a time to wake up. I do it at 8:30 am. No matter what time you go to sleep, wake up at that time. Stay awake all day and then go to sleep when you feel tired. If its late and you feel hungry, dont eat. Your body will be trying to either get fuel or get sleep. Then no matter what time you fall asleep again, wake up at your start time the next morning. Do it on weekends too. Eventually, your body will have no choice but to sleep earlier.

I started a nasty habbit of staying up all night and sleeping all day after i graduated highschool. Its fine if you work a late shift, but humans just cant live nocturnally without becoming unhealthy and slipping into depression.


I try to do this, but I hate waking up early if I had a bad night's sleep. I hear it's the best thing to do though.

[markwagner]

Yes, how do you honor your internal body system? Trust is, lean into the wisdom it has, it;s really a treasure chest. Go in, grow in, sit quietly and ask the questions, talk to your body and then listen.

Meditation can be a tool that quiets your mind and rests your body. I sit upright, get centered, and warm, quiet, and then start to work and adjusting, aligning, my mind with my body. I explore the inner back county. Sounds wou-wou but anyone whose deep and connected knows, they know the importance of practicing and being able to quiet your mind. THEN even if you are not sleeping you put your body into a deep rest pattern that rejuvenates your entire being.

I personally am a freelancer and work out of home and am up all hours. Last night I was sick with a cold, crashed 4 times on the couch and work up totally awake at 3am and got up to work. The night before that I was up till 2am. I rest when I need to, I can power nap for 10 minutes and reboot my system and come totally up online again. Not everyone can do this. Some people's systems need lots of sleep.

Yoga is also good, deep stretches, rejuvenation, and yes, keep your blood moving through exersize. And trust that there is a deeper wisdom that you have in this very moment about your body and this issue, go deeper into that - DO SOME ART ABOUT IT...... and yes, get a night job and enjoy your life.

Read Carl Jung and Joseph Campbell.

~M

[tomwaits4noman]

Its really causing me alot of problems in life and I dont know what to do.

Or maybe i should just focus on making websites freelance so then atleast i can just do my work in these hours

aw sleep problems, I can relate...

alot may have to do with when you are going to sleep your body relaxes and your brain starts toying around with ideas and while the rest of your body is winding down your brain becomes more active blocking sleep.... at least its the way it is in my case....

My last year of college, crazy deadlines binge drinking screwed up my sleeping patterns,

You could design websites freelance pretty much what I am doing I sleep till maybe 10.30 as that is when my body naturally wakes up and then work till 12 or 1 am, with 30 min breaks in between. But I still have to meet clients occasionally at 10 am or 6pm so if you think you can work through the night and sleep during the day it may not work.

I get the feeling its common enough, maybe especially among creative ppl maybe not, could be diet and life style that is also affecting you as well stresses that you may not be aware of...

[Max Challie]

From 8pm onwards, your body rejuvenates. If you eat in this time, your body will spend that time digesting instead.

The best sleep is before midnight.

[Jacob Kobryn]

I've sort of developed an abnormal sleeping pattern as well. I normally sleep from about 1-2am to 11am-2pm. This sucks because I need to wake up at like 6am for school and even if I go to bed early I won't fall asleep until about 1:30 or later. Hell it's 2:30 am now!

[Sadetar]

I usually feel active after midnight and go to bed about 03-06 am. Then I naturally wake up about 02-04 pm. Luckily my studies don't require me to be in university before that so I'm more than happy. :rendered: Well I don't really see the sun in wintertime, but I don't really care.

[tarc]

Meditation can be a tool that quiets your mind and rests your body.

Meditation works for me also.
I do a the simple version, sitting upright 15mins while concentrating on respiration and trying to be aware of what's going on.
Works best when not done right after eating or waking up.


I find it especially helpful in times of stress, like when I have multiple deadlines closeby.

[JJ McKool]

I think my problem is the 30 hour cycle, I always seem to want to stay up later and later, huh, I'll have to look that up.

But if you actually do get up and go to sleep at the same time, it might, I'm not a doctor or anything, it might be that you're simply naturally nocturnal, rather than having a sleep disorder. I read something briefly alluding to the idea, but you'd have to check into that. The other thing might be that you just haven't found a good enough reason to get into a nice groove. Your job socks, you hate your boss, you don't make enough money, maybe you're just kind of apathetic about it, people haven't expressed enough interest, etc. You could try looking after someone else's dog for a week, I noticed when I had to do that, on the third day and after I was getting up at 8am every day, and going to sleep between 10pm-12am.

Meditation is good for trying to get to sleep, I know that, helps to calm the mind and give you back control over your body. Would be best to look that one up.

The nice thing about night crew is that there's something about it (in my opinion) that makes a long shift go by faster than if it were in the daytime. I'm talking subjectively. I don't know why.

Well they say time appears to move faster as you get older because you're memories haven't had to pick up as much new information. I wonder if that has something to do with it, there's less light and detail so you don't have to absorb as much.

[gruve24]

Sleeping problems ??? Take up weightlifting, make sure your getting enough nutrition through out the day, 4 - 6 meals. Increase your protein intake, go to bed on time and don't be lazy. Problem solved !

[Pav]

unforunately I'm a late worker but I know staying up at night is not healthy, the best time to go to bed is 10pm. If I go to sleep after 12 am I feel like shit the next day

[Wooly ESS]

I can relate to your problem. I'm a bit of a night owl myself. I really start to become active around 10:00pm. I hate going to bed at night, and I hate getting up in the morning. Adding to this, I don't have real high social needs, so I am quite content poking around by myself during the wee hours.

However, it is a diurnal world, and if you want to be a part of it, you gots to sleep at night, and be awake during the day. I just force myself to go to bed between 11:00pm and midnight, and get up between 6:00am and 8:00am. I don't have any problem sleeping, althought I have had sleep problems at different times of my life (who hasn't?).

I think the staying up for 36+ hours, and then going to bed at the proper time is probably the best starting point. When travelling, staying awake for 36 hours and then forcing myself to go to bed at a normal hour in the new time zone gets me into the local diurnal routine almost immediately. If it works for travel, it should work for rescheduling a twisted around sleep pattern. Stay in bed during the night, whether you are sleeping or not, and do not nap during the day.

Others have given excellent advice on nutrition & exercise. Follow it! Junk the junk food, especially before going to bed. When you're young, you tend to think you are indestructible, but you're not. Bad habits take their toll, and in your case the toll seems to be sleep disruption. Healthy life habits and discipline have got to help you with your sleep issue.

And Dude, ditch the sleeping pills!

[Blue]

Every consider killing the power in your house at bed-time?

See how many nights you'll be up all night if everything is off. Use a wind up clock with bells, i promise you'll be on a natural schedule before you know it. part of the problem people have with sleep is the amount of unnatural light they are exposed to after hours. The internet makes this immensely worse to boot, as you are interacting with a light source until the sun comes up.

I'm serious, don't just turn off the TV or computer, pull the circuit breaker if you need to. All power, turn it ALL off. You'll be amazed how quickly your natural clock will turn on once you turn off everything else.

edit: Also, i want to add that i noticed this purely by accident. A few years ago I spent a month backpacking in the rocky mountains with a group. After a week, i was tired when the sun went down, and I felt awake and invigorated when the sun came up. It was amazing, and for the last 2-3 weeks i got the best sleep of my life, even though it was in a sleeping bag on the ground. I'm currently trying to save up for another month up there, because getting back to nature seems to fix almost everything society messes up, i've noticed.