Cannot sleep at the normal times.

[Rls1994]

I didn't know where to put this so I'll put it in here.

Anyways, I only start feeling tired at around 5:30 AM, yes, 5:30 AM in the morning. Even then I'm barely tired. :huh: I fall asleep eventually, and wake up at like 11:00 - 2:00 in the day.. I'm glad I do not have to work or God help me.

So yeah, I've somehow messed up my sleeping patern. I think it's to due to me constantly worrying and my GERD keeping me awake, but I'm not even sure? I'm never feeling tired anyway really. I do, however, have quite severe depression which I've heard can mess up your sleep pretty bad.

Even though I'm not tired until like 5:30 in the morning, I have to be in bed by 2:00/3:00 AM, if I stay up that late that is. Then I'm spending like 2 and a half hours just laying there in bed, wide awake, tossing and turning..

They always say to use your bed only for sleeping in, nothing else. Because your body knows it is time to sleep. But, I'm not allowed to get up if I cannot sleep within 30 minutes or anything, unless I need the loo.

So, does anyone have advice on what I should do? I was thinking of going to bed earlier by 15 minutes each day to see if that helps, but it hasn't. One night, I imagined myself putting all of my anxious thoughts into a bag and then putting them somewhere out of the way, saying 'I will deal with you in the morning'. Much to my surprise it actually worked, but only for that one night.

I guess the only way I'm going to get proper sleep is to reduce my anxiety levels and of course, my depression?

I sure am one messed up person..

Any help would be appreciated.

[Mark13]

Oh I remember that phase so well. When I was single and off work with depression I would sleep from around 8am to 6pm every day. Partly because the night-time was quieter and I couldn't face people or much noise.

It will change as you feel better, but the most brutal way to change your routine is to stay up till a "normal" bedtime.

For example, if you're tired at 6am just stay up till 10pm then go to bed. After that go to bed and get up at the same time every day (that's what I do now, even on weekends).

I read somewhere that if you can't sleep, or wake up and can't get back to sleep get up, but don't do anything enjoyable (because it will be rewarding your subconscious for stopping you sleeping). Read a really boring book, for example, but do it standing up. It's like punishing your subconscious for not letting you sleep. It soon gets the message apparently.