Staying up too late at night

[Managor]

One of my female friends has a habit of staying up far too late at nighttime and misses out on a proper sleep most nights since she has to be up for classes early in the morning. I'd really appreciate some advice I can give her on how she can make sure she's asleep by midnight every night without exception. She's told me and I've noticed too that most nights that she stays up too late are when she's talking to friends online, especially when she's feeling depressed.

 

I can't wait for some replies >_

 

Thanks in advance

[mintblossom]

i used to do that...stay up really late at night.....i think i did not really connect the importance of sleep to the health of my body...

[numbhead]

ive got the same problem,,, no matter how early i have to get up i just cant go to bed early! never have done!

 

not sure what to say... its definitely and mental thing... possibly habbit and stress combined!

 

tell her to dop more exercise.. thts what im trying

[spirits]

She probably knows its not a good habit, but never got a good reason to change that habit of hers. No amount of convincing works when she doesn't have the desire to change it. Maybe she can schedule her classes late so she can have more sleep.

[schizo]

I'm just curious...why are you making her sleep habits your responsibility? Did she ask for your help, or are you just doing it?

[musicguy]

Maybe she's a nightowl. I know I am

[Managor]

schizo: I'd be an odd one if she hadn't asked me for help and advice!

 

spirits: She has a good reason, which is a little too private for me to say here, so that's why she's only now trying to fix it up.

 

I think she does plenty of exercise already, but I'll mention that regardless!

[sophie274]

Exercise (but not right before bed)

Not drinking too much caffeine

Giving herself 1/2 hour of "wind-down" time before bed - taking a bath, reading a fun book, tidying up her room, setting out her clothes for the next day, writing in a journal

Doing some relaxation exercises before bed so her mind is at rest

 

But most importantly: Turn OFF that computer! If she's wasting time on it, she should get in the habit of shutting it down when she is just lounging around or doing HW. I do that, and it really helps curb the temptation. All she needs is some willpower - if she KNOWS she needs to be in bed and is chatting online, she has the power to change that. She should try to convince herself that even though she is lonely, sleep will make her feel so much better than chatting.

 

Also she could try to fix that loneliness - plan more time with friends during day, call someone during the day, study around other people so she feels less isolated...

 

Hope this helps!

[Managor]

I'll pass all that onto her sophie, thanks

[forficula]

Once in a while if I can't get to sleep I'll take some NyQuil, Dimetapp etc. and start to doze off within minutes of taking them, so...if that helps, it would be awesome if it worked for her too.

[Aleadragonhawk]

I used to have this problem, and only really came to a conclusion on it when I realized how much better I felt when I DID manage to get the sleep I needed. Late nights are a hard habit to break, but if you can get her to try a week of going to bed when she needs to, maybe she'll start to see the physical benefits of it.

[NoComply]

im on msn till 3am most mornings

and get up around 2pm

 

help?

[applepie]

I know that it's not always convenient, but one thing that sleep therapists always tell their insomniac patients is to make sure they don't have a TV, computer or any exercise equipment in the bedroom. It also helps to turn the clock around when you are trying to fall asleep. The bedroom should be a place for sleep only. When the place you sleep is full of leisure activities, people remain too stimulated and tend to stay up too late.

[NKP]

I am alway up to atless 2am everyday