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Having trouble falling asleep. Is this normal?
I'm M/16. This summer I've been having trouble falling asleep. BUT when I eventually fall asleep I get about 10 hours of sleep. The main thing is that I "Go to bed" around 4AM, but I can't fall asleep for like an hour. School starts next month and I can't keep this habit.
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Of course you want to get your sleeping pattern sorted before school starts, Heres some tips:
- Put your alarm on for the time you want to wake up. So if you go to bed at 4, and want to wake up at 7/8, put your alarm on for then, and wake up then. The next day, you will feel really tired, so go to sleep at around 10/11pm, and wake up again at 7 (or whatever time). This will slowly get you in the cycle.
- When your alarm goes off, stretch your whole body out, and get up straight away. If you think "just 10 minutes wont hurt" or what i usually do, "Just 20 seconds...1...2...3...zzzzzzzzzz", ignore the thoughts and get up.
- When waking up, make your bed straight away: This activity will wake your body up.
- Put your alarm on, quite far away. So for example, I put my alarm on my desk, and so i have to get out of bed and walk over to it to switch it off. By the time you have walked over and switched it off, you're up and awake.
- Try to have atleast 2 alarms on. Phone alarms aren't as good, because you usually keep your phone close to you, and its not as loud. I put my phone alarm on for 5:25, and my main alarm (on my desk) for 5:30, as this is the time i want to wake up. The point of putting the earlier one on, is to wake me up a little, so that i'm not shocked and half asleep when my main alarm goes off.
- Invest in a good alarm clock. They're not that expensive: maybe $5/10 from a local store. Nothing fancy if you cant afford it
- Try to do some exercise during the day: this will use up some energy so you don't lie in bed not knowing what to do.
- Have a shower/bath before going to bed: It will help you to relax.
- As "womanly" as it sounds, buy some lavender oil, and put a little on your pillows. Lavender has been proven to relax you, aiding a restful sleep.
- Buy some chamomile tea, and drink it just before bed. Its naturally caffeine free, and also helps your body + mind to relax.
- Keep a good book by your bedside. Or a magazine. If you lie in bed for about 25 minutes and you still cant sleep, read, or get up and give your room a clean, or something. This activity will help you to relax.
- Make sure you get atleast 6 hours of sleep. If you sleep for 8/9+ hours, it can be bad for your body, as can 5hours or less. Aim for 6/7.
- Your diet can prevent you from getting a good nights sleep: eat healthily, and avoid heavy meals, oily/junk food, sodas, coffee, or caffeinated tea a few hours before bed.
- Avoid the use of nicotine or alcohol before bed.
In short, what you need to do, is start waking up early. This will keep you tired, throughout the next day, which in turn will help you to sleep earlier, and if you wake up early that day, you will hopefully kick the habit of late nights.
Hope i helped :)
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