Help with Sleep!

Banana1983782

Hi

I went to America for two weeks. I returned nine days ago. Since returning I cannot sleep! 

I am wide awake until 3/4am and nothing I have tried is working. I’m a walking zombie!

I’d rather not go down the medicine route but I’m at my wits end…

I experimented with a few glasses of wine, which helped one night, however that isn’t particularly healthy (for every night) and I don’t want to become dependent on a drink to sleep. 

My sleep is still in sync with my holiday. Getting to sleep at 3/4am is the time I would have been going to bed on holiday. 

Prior to this holiday I have travelled before and never had any issues. I’ve always had excellent sleep and never struggled. 

Does anyone have any suggestions for getting my sleep back into sync?

Any help appreciated! 

Mark_d

You need to force yourself to stay awake for your normal day (mine is 6am to 10pm) and then outside these hours you should be tired enough to sleep.  If this doesn't work for you then you should see a doctor.

elsien

As above, but also try going outside for half an hour for a walk or something, first thing in the morning (7-8 ish) because the sunlight at that time of day helps to reset the body clock as well. 

Are you doing exercise to tire yourself out during the hours? You should be awake? You’re not going to feel like it if you was zombified but again it could help. 

During the hours you are awake, what are you doing until 3 am? You need a strict curfew on TV and electronic devices before your normal bedtime. 

And the usual insomnia andvice also applies - don’t lie in bed stressing that you’re not sleeping because that will make things worse. I find getting up and making a non-caffeine drink, or reading a book as opposed to an e-book helps me when I’m having a bad night. 

Banana1983782

Mark_d said:

You need to force yourself to stay awake for your normal day (mine is 6am to 10pm) and then outside these hours you should be tired enough to sleep.  If this doesn't work for you then you should see a doctor.

I am. I am currently awake at 7am and awake all day (I don’t/never “nap”) until 3/4am the next morning :-(

la531983

Thats got nothing to do with the jetlag then, you need to see a doctor.

All my trips to the west coast of the US (an even bigger time difference than what you had maybe) I am usually fine by the next day.

Banana1983782

elsien said:

As above, but also try going outside for half an hour for a walk or something, first thing in the morning (7-8 ish) because the sunlight at that time of day helps to reset the body clock as well. 

Are you doing exercise to tire yourself out during the hours? You should be awake? You’re not going to feel like it if you was zombified but again it could help. 

During the hours you are awake, what are you doing until 3 am? You need a strict curfew on TV and electronic devices before your normal bedtime. 

And the usual insomnia andvice also applies - don’t lie in bed stressing that you’re not sleeping because that will make things worse. I find getting up and making a non-caffeine drink, or reading a book as opposed to an e-book helps me when I’m having a bad night. 

I am quite active during the day and walk 3-4 miles every day (have done for years). I’m normally up at 7am and straight out for 45 mins to wake up, which I’ve been doing again since I got home. 

I work from home and it is computer/screen work for a typical 8-hour work day. Break at lunch for a 45-60 minute walk. 

I’m probably having too much screen time before bed (no change to pre-holiday) and so I’ll see if switching off a few hours before bed works tonight. 

Banana1983782

Thanks for the advice so far! 

Banana1983782

la531983 said:

Thats got nothing to do with the jetlag then, you need to see a doctor.

All my trips to the west coast of the US (an even bigger time difference than what you had maybe) I am usually fine by the next day.

Is it worth some OTC sleep aids to use for a few days (MAX!) to try and get back into a normal sleep routine? 

la531983

I dunno, like I said ive never had any issues so Ive never had to opt for additional "help", as it were. Ive just pushed on through until about 10pm the day I land and then went to bed, and was fine the next.

Penguin_

I have always struggled with falling asleep due to anxiety & overthinking, I lack the ability to be able to switch off & my thoughts end up racing round my brain. 

A friend of mine suggested trying a Magnesium supplement about 1/2 hour before bed & I will be honest it has changed my life. I drift off peacefully & if I do wake in the night, if doesn't take me long to get back to sleep.

400ixl

I used to have no issues at all with Jetlag, but more recent trips I have suffered with waking up in the early hours for a week or so after returning.

Last couple of trips I have taken melatolin for the first 2 nights back and that has sorted it out. I sleep through on those nights and my body clock gets reset and I'm fine after that.

I know you said you didn't want to resort to drugs, but it is worth considering and melatonin is different to sleeping pill ingredients.