“You can’t always control when you fall asleep, but you can decide when you start your day. This article was medically reviewed by Shari Forschen, NP, MA. Anxiety and Depression Association of America: “Sleep Disorders.”, National Institute of General Medical Sciences: “Circadian Rhythms Fact Sheet.”. 08/09/2016 12:00am EDT ... With fall around the corner, most of us could benefit from a revised bedtime, but making that change doesn’t necessarily come easy to all. References. 2. If you’re still awake 20 minutes after turning in, get up and do something relaxing instead of staring at the ceiling. Studies have shown that cherry juice can increase melatonin levels. When you’re exposed to light, your brain stops producing melatonin, … Please help us continue to provide you with our trusted how-to guides and videos for free by whitelisting wikiHow on your ad blocker. Don’t take naps longer than 20-30 minutes. ", "I love wikiHow because I get the exact answer of all my problems. Whether you’re dealing with jet lag, night shift work, or insomnia, an inconsistent sleep schedule can impact your mood, concentration, and weight. Michael J. Thorpy, MD, director, Sleep-Wake Disorders Center at the Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, New York. "I liked how this article was written well. 1  Night workers can buy glasses that block blue light during their daytime drive home to “trick” their brain into thinking it’s night time. You won’t feel your best if an inconsistent sleep schedule has thrown off your internal clock. Shari Forschen is a Registered Nurse at Sanford Health in North Dakota. It will help your … Then plan to wake up at the same time each day as well. Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 24,140 times. Consistency is the best way to change your sleep cycle. Any change in sleep schedule will upset your circadian rhythm requiring it to be reset. Fall asleep faster and snooze better by following these tips: 1. WebMD does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. The more relaxed you are, the more likely you will be able to go to sleep at your old bedtime. These are just a few of the many things that a proper sleep schedule can improve. If you find that your sleep cycle has been disrupted, you can reset it in order to get back to sleeping normally every night. Walk or exercise for at least 30 minutes on most days. Since it takes three days to adjust to your new schedule, you want to start adjusting accordingly so you can feel your best. • Exercise daily. If you want to sleep in during your reset, only allow yourself an extra hour of sleep one night per week. Once you wake up the next morning, eat a big, healthy breakfast to kick start your system into being awake. That's why an out-of-whack sleep schedule can hurt your overall health while robbing you of shut-eye and leaving you groggy during the day. 5. “But keep it to less than 20 minutes. What do your mornings look like? Hint: We’re not all created sleepqually. If possible, wear dark sunglasses when leaving work. If you're changing your sleep schedule so you can wake up early enough for work, for example, you probably want to wake up an hour or so before departure. Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. If you want to start bettering your life, sleep is a natural way to get started. Here are 5 Steps to Fix Your Sleep Schedule: 3. Here are 6 ways you can change your schedule in order to achieve better productivity throughout your work day. X Last Updated: May 28, 2020 If you don't fall asleep within about 20 minutes, leave your bedroom and do something relaxing. “Morning people have been shown to be more proactive, which is linked to better job performance, career success, and higher wages, as well as more goal-oriented,” says Shanon Makekau , who directs the Kaiser Permanente Sleep Lab in Hawaii. Avoid electronics, bright lights and stress in the hours before bed. In most instances where you may feel like you hate your job, or are unproductive, some altering of scheduling can make a world of difference. There are many different components that contribute to this, including your genes, hormones, nerves, and body temperature. Disease happens when this delicate balance is disrupted. When your sleep clock gets off track you may find it difficult to get back into your routine but it is an important step on how to reset your sleep schedule. There have been some studies that suggest your melatonin levels may be increased after a hot bath. If you are trying to reset your sleep schedule to a different time, you need to start small and slowly. If you are really having a hard time, try wearing sunglasses so your eyes adjust to the darkness and to get you used to switching to sleeping mode. If you don't have this much time a night, you should think about changing your priorities to where you can get the recommended amount of sleep each night. Have a bright morning. Many of the important things going in your body rely on this sleep-wake cycle. If decreased stress isn’t reason enough to change your sleep schedule, consider how much better at life being well-rested could make you. How much time do you usually need to get up, get ready, and get out the door? If you constantly change the time you fall asleep and wake up, your body won’t be able to adjust to a set schedule. The more consistent you are with your schedule during this time, the faster your sleep cycle will reset. She received her Family Nurse Practitioner Master's from the University of North Dakota and has been a nurse since 2003. All rights reserved. Go to bed and get up at the same time every day. Tap Browse at the bottom right, then tap Sleep. Turn off your TV, phone, and tablet, and dim the lights at least an hour before you hit the sack. Changing your regular sleep-wake cycle by 90 minutes -- in either direction -- significantly increases your chance of having a heart attack or heart disease. If you’re still awake 20 minutes after turning in, get up and do something relaxing instead of staring at the ceiling. Only use melatonin while you are trying to reset your sleep cycle. The best temperature for good sleep is 67-68 degrees, Thorpy says. % of people told us that this article helped them. “The exercise will chase away the sleepiness. Then you can save up that drive … It's difficult to maintain a non-traditional sleep schedule, but many people are able to do it successfully. Try to minimize light exposure until after you have slept. 1. By HuffPost Partner Studio. Getting enough sleep every night can be challenging. PubMed Central 1. Pelayo recommends scheduling exercise when you feel like napping. Do not take naps during the day or in the evening. It’s at least a seven-hour commitment, and you definitely can’t multitask. Get your heart rate up during the day to boost your odds of good sleep, or do yoga before bed to relax. Having a regular routine sets the tone for your body for the whole day," he says. Helpful, trusted answers from doctors: Dr. Fowler on how to change your sleep schedule: To reset your sleep clock, go to bed at the same time every night, awaken at the same time every morning, don't nap during the day, use the bed for sleeping (not eating, TV watching, reading, etc), if you awaken during the night, stay in bed until your determined awakening time. If you need to shift your schedule quicker than this or change it by a large amount, you can shift your sleep time by 30 minutes. Start by moving your alarm ahead in 15-minute chunks every morning over the course of a week until you arrive at your new time. Changing Your Lifestyle for Quality Sleep. One of the best ways to fix your sleep schedule is to plan your exposure to light. If Sleep Schedule is off, tap the switch to toggle it to the green ON position. Journal archive from the U.S. National Institutes of Health This activity can also help you relax as well. Get out of bed if you can’t sleep. Being consistent reinforces your body's sleep-wake cycle. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. Always talk to your doctor before using herbal remedies. There are 18 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. After a night or two of this new schedule, shift it another 15 minutes, repeating until you reach your new sleep times. If you have less time to … It’s really tough to … Stop or cut back on smoking and drinking alcohol. The quality of your sleep starts with healthy habits. • Keep a cool room. Try to limit the difference in your sleep schedule on weeknights and weekends to no more than one hour. The most effective tactic is to make small changes slowly. Wake up at the same time every day. How to Fix Your Sleep Schedule. If you find yourself in this situation, here are some recommendations for effectively getting on an earlier schedule. These can go a long way to helping you fall asleep faster: • Filter out noise. Journal archive from the U.S. National Institutes of Health, {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/f\/f9\/Reset-Sleep-Cycle-Step-1.jpg\/v4-460px-Reset-Sleep-Cycle-Step-1.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/f\/f9\/Reset-Sleep-Cycle-Step-1.jpg\/aid7183693-v4-728px-Reset-Sleep-Cycle-Step-1.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"