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(Why did they schedule math so early, anyway?)
All my life, my internal clock just hasnt synced up with everyone elses.
Its been a constant battle trying to conform to a more socially acceptable bedtime routine.
Ive always known Im wired differently.
director of theDivision of Interventional Sleep Surgeryand co-director of the USF ENT Sleep and Snoring Center, in partnership withTampa General Hospital
And I found out in maybe the most ironic way possible.
How I learned I had delayed sleep phase syndrome
Now heres the funny part.
Around 2006, I began working with a sleep medicine doctor on a book about sleep disorders.
The more I read about it, the more I recognized myself and the way Id been living.
Living with this disorder can really put you at odds with the rest of society.
Graduating high school was a relief because I could take charge of my own schedule.
My sleep schedule was the most problematic in the first few years after my daughter was born.
(She couldnt have a mom who woke up at 11 a.m. every day.)
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Most of my symptoms throughout the years have been pretty typical of delayed sleep phase syndrome.
Here are a few methods that can help, some of which Ive tried:
1.
Take melatonin
Supplemental melatonin is one of the most common and easily accessible treatments for delayed sleep phase syndrome.
And more melatonin isnt always better.
This effect is also commonly seen during daylight saving time every year in most states, says Dr. Sharma.
This frequently causes significant disruption in the sleep/wake cycles for at least one to two weeks.
The best thing to do?
If the light is from outside, getting someblackout curtainscan be helpful, too.
Thats because bright light resets our circadian rhythm and tells our brains its morning.
Keep a regular routine
Erratic nighttime (and morning) routines can contribute to an irregular circadian rhythm.
(Ill admit, this is still my biggest challenge.)
You may have to bring it up if you want an official diagnosis and advice.
Which is why Im writing this at 2 a.m. rather than 4 a.m.progress!
reviewed byAngela Holliday-Bell, MD
Al-Shawwa, Baha et al.
16,7 (2020): 1119-1123. doi:10.5664/jcsm.8440
Sletten, Tracey L et al.
Light-induced changes of the circadian clock of humans: increasing duration is more effective than increasing light intensity.Sleepvol.
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