Sleep, the innocent sleep, sleep that knits up the ravel'd sleeve of care

First of all don’t beat yourself up over staying up until dawn because this is an unusual thing we are going through. Go with the flow and drink decaf only.
When we stay up like this eventually your clock will come around to a decent bedtime again and when it does go to bed if you are concerned. A lot of us are going through this, l am too and I was guilty of binge watching Netflix until 3-4am then reading till 5am then eventually sleep came. Stop worrying do what your body is telling you and when light morning’s start sleep with your curtains open so that light naturally sets your clock. For the moment I am not going to worry about anything except protecting myself from this rotten virus.
You could also join in the night owl chat here. ?

I got rid of my husband, worked really well for my sleep pattern

I have been like this recently, and it is hard to get out of the pattern once you are in it. I know what it's like to watch the hours pass during the night and eventually fall asleep at 6 a.m, to wake when half the day has gone. After some long sleepless nights, the temptation to just stay up and read is sometimes overpowering, with the same result.

I tried staying awake all night and then going to bed at a sensible time, hoping that I would be tired enough to quickly fall asleep. It didn't work.

My daughter, who has had long bouts of insomnia since her teens, advised me to gradually go to bed earlier, maybe by half an hour at a time, to gradually reset your body's clock. If you have slept till noon, it's no use going to bed at 10 pm and expecting to sleep. Even midnight is too early. You have to slowly wind back the hours until you have gradually altered your sleeping pattern.

It does work. I wouldn't say that I am sleeping at a regular time and rising with the lark, but it's getting better. In the meantime, I wouldn't beat yourself up about it too much. You're not bothering anyone and I doubt that you are seriously damaging your health. It will pass. You will get out of it. Try not to worry too much.

I think it does matter, that we are awake for most of the daylight hours, for vitamin D absorption. A broken hip I do not want!

Walk five miles a day or exercise indoors. Use Ocean sounds on Alexa by side of bed. It shuts off after one hour
You may not need as much sleep as you think

I find that reading for half an hour once I am in bed helps.

Chill, don’t worry about it. You just happen to be keeping the same time as the west coast of America. They will all be asleep when you are! To get back to UK time you will probably get jet lag! If it’s not bothering anyone else there isn’t a problem

I have had difficulty in getting to sleep most of my adult life, and find this helps me enormously. www.doyogawithme.com/content/yoga-nidra-sleep

Recently I've been using guided meditation every morning (I know; get me!) from these which are both free. Both have sleep meditations on them, but so far I have only tried the daytime ones which are excellent..

play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.meditation.elevenminute&hl=en_US&gl=US

play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=meditofoundation.medito&hl=en_US&gl=US

I have same problem with getting to sleep before 2 or 3 a.m. For me it started when I worked in a shift work job where the busy time was between 11pm and 3am. Worked there for 8 years and ever since I can't get to sleep before 2am. Have tried various ways to reset the body clock but it always fails. Previous to this employment I was always asleep by midnight, up at 7.30 but I can't get this back.

And, cut out caffiene - decaf tea and coffee are as widely available now and it is surprising how much one cup can affect your sleep.

I am struggling too with my sleep. I wake about 4:30 / 5:30 & my mind immediately starts working overtime . I take 2x 10 mg amitriptaline tablets at least 2 nights a week before bed. If I take them every night they don’t seem to work as well . I also bought an Amazon Alexa & when I wake up I ask her to play white noise or ask her to play an audio book very quietly & I can sometimes fall back to sleep

My body clock is decidedly higgledy piggledy at the moment but I don't mind a bit. I just put it down to the combination of current lockdown and rubbish weather. Hibernation has a lot going for it!! However, I fully expect it to return to my normal when Spring appears and I can't resist being outside. Early morning light combined with beautiful birdsong will do it for me. Roll on!

I've never been a "normal" sleeper. As a baby & child I didn't sleep and even when starting work at 6am and working 10 hour day in my teens was often wide awake at 3am, sometimes staying up for 2-3 days in a row. In my late 30s I went the other way and couldn't stay awake. As for sleep hygiene, it's never helped, I just lie awake twiddling my thumbs & become progressively more irritated.
I've stopped worrying about it now tbh; I sleep some nights & not others & just accept it as my normal.

My advice would be to go out for a long walk (if you are able) in fresh air obviously social distancing and wearing your mask. If you can't manage that then try to do exercises at home with a small window open. There are chair exercises for those who can't stand. Look online on You Tube for gentle exercise. I find if I have a sofa day, then I can't sleep because my body just isn't tired. Also, as somebody said earlier, if you have a bad night, don't go to sleep at 6 am - get up and try to get through the day and go to bed in the evening. Good luck

Ditto LadyHonor! I do painting by numbers and get so engrossed in it,I’m painting till 2am! If not painting,I can binge watch 4/5 hour of murder mysteries! Then go to bed,wide awake,play mahjong till 3ish,then lie down and try to sleep....no chance! I can turn and turn till 4, even half past, then must doze off. Husband brings me tea at 9.30, then I sleep till 11.30.
Potter about, then have blissful sleep at 3ish either in chair or go up to bed for couple of hours! Crazy! Husband doesn’t mind a bit!
Have tried and tried again to go up with husband at 10pm, (separate rooms) no use!
I feel unhealthy too. Miss the mornings. I’m only up today cos a workman came at 9 to give a quote!
Will try and reset AGAIN in the Spring, but I feel your pain!!

Actually, I don't really know what's wrong with being in hibernation mode during these dark days , as long as it's not depression that needs help.
I tend to love my bed too .
I know we tend to feel guilty and lazy for being a lie a bed but I get up , do chores , go for a long walk , knit and sew endlessly, read and otherwise fill a whole day. Just a bit later than during the summer !

Apparently, Mango Kush is supposed to be very effective for sleep. I take CBD oil twice a day which has improved my sleep no end so my supplier said not to bother buying Mango Kush as I obviously don't need it. He has taken it himself as he finds CBD oil doesn't help with sleep and says it has changed his life, he sleeps really well now. He suffered a serious accident a few years ago and started taking CBD oil for pain which he said was amazingly effective but only for pain relief in his case, not sleep. Mango Kush is a derivative of hemp.

You could try this, hope it helps.

:https://www.sleepstation.org.uk/options/

If this was me, I would want to try to reset my body clock. I would put the alarm clock on for 8am, and get up. The following day would be grim, so no driving etc, and no naps. Bed about 9pm with alarm on for 8am again. Hopefully after a week or so, you might see some improvement. Good luck.

Hot milk and reading for a while works for me. But I'm cheating really as I do take Amiltriptyline which is marvellous in aiding sleep.
Also, a walk in the fresh air helps.

I probably shouldn’t recommend this, but I take an anti-histamine tablet (normal strength purchased across the counter, and just take one - I once took 2 and couldn’t wake up!) it’s obviously not the non-drowsy type. And they do sometimes take a few hours to kick in. If I take one too late in an evening the effect is there next day too. I do have some mild allergy as well, so that’s why I have them but they do make me sleep, especially after a few days of poor sleep. Hope this helps.

You can ask your doctor to refer you to a sleep hygienist. I’m not sure how long the wait would be at the moment but my son used them a few years ago and the results (if you stick to the plan) were amazing.

You need to set your alarm to stop you sleeping all day, wasting precious daylight by sleeping will mean you’ll never get a good nights sleep. Break the habit by getting up and getting as much fresh air and go for daily walks. Don’t eat late at night, cut the alcohol if you drink in the evenings, stay up as late as possible and use yoga relaxation exercises then maybe you’ll start to sleep better

I think your instincts are on to something. Light and exposure to it is essential for our body clock. I think you need more fresh air and walking in good green surroundings. Small steps, but try to do a morning walk, at the latest early afternoon, I think will make you feel a lot better. ??

There’s an app called breathe - you can get a sleep meditation one on it for free ... I don’t even get very far into now before I’m snoring away. Took me a few times to get used to it, stops mind chatter and relaxes you but been the best thing ever for me. Hope it helps x