Ask to HN: How do you deal with changing your sleeping habits?

1 points by rhlala 7 years ago | 1 comment

Few times by year i need to change radically my schedule for a long time, usually 12h change (instead of wake-up 8am i need wake-up 8pm for a whole month)

Do you have any tips?

Is it better to change it fast, even if it means sleep 2 hours the first day and be totally useless, or a more progressive approach (6days going to sleep 2h later everyday?) gives better results?

When i tried to take nap, i either be really tired and it endup a 3hour nap, or cant sleep. I feel mastering the nap skill can be key here.

Thanks

crsv 7 years ago |

Melatonin. It's wonderful stuff - non-habit forming, available over the counter, and when combined with a good sleeping routine (environment, consistency of timing) can really help you smooth out a sleep pattern in to something more consistent or aide you in a change like this - though the idea is once you got consistent in the routine that you'd no longer need the melatonin.

It's not a cure all wonder drug however, and will really only assist in inducing the drowsiness that parleys in to sleep, just to manage expectations a bit - but it really is highly effective when combined with solid routine / environment.