In the last 100 years, some cultures have developed sleep cycles that were born out of a need to work during hours that weren’t as common for people as in past generations.
A larger population also has a need for more people to cover the hours in a day, as in the case of police officers, but what if you have been living on this cycle for many years and have now decided to change jobs, and by default, change your sleep cycle back to a more conventional schedule? Take a look at some easy ways to get back on a normal sleep/wake cycle when you work a shift schedule.
Getting Back to Normal
After years in a sleep cycle, it takes careful and strict habits to get yourself back on track. One thing that you need to do is resist the urge to fall asleep at random times, because your body requires you to have some sort of schedule. The stricter you are, the more quickly you can reprogram yourself to settle into a schedule that is more fitting of a new lifestyle. You might even need to stay up an entire day just to get yourself into a place where you can go to sleep at a decent hour.
Stay Away from Stimulation
Have you ever been getting ready to go to sleep, and then suddenly have a thought that keeps you awake? It takes practice, but you have to learn how to be very committed to getting into a state of mind that allows you to rest. Weighing in on a heavy matter as you fall asleep will only cause you to wake up more. The best way to fall asleep is to think about less active things. This also means that it’s a good idea to avoid watching any television before bed because it could send your mind off on a thousand different tangents.
Don’t Exercise Before Bed
If you’ve been used to working late at night, chances are that you had some sort of physical activity going on during the hours that most people are sleeping. Since you’re likely to want to change that, it would be a great idea to avoid anything that puts you in that state of mind, or prepares your body to do any sort of exertion. Staying calm and setting the stage for a night of sleep will put you in the place where sleep is possible. However, exercising earlier in the day can help tire you so you will have an easier time going to sleep at night.