I'm exhausted in the mornings and at work but awake and alert late at night when I need to try to sleep. How do you break the cycle?

Not everything needs to be pathological, but it sounds like you could also have delayed sleep phase disorder, which is a recognized sleep disorder in the DSM-V. In any event, researching a little bit about it, and then what people with it do to mitigate their biology’s natural proclivity to be running “full-steam ahead” at nighttime when You yourself desire to be sleeping.

I have DSPD and narcolepsy (which is a really fun combo by the way /s) and I got nothing else for you but the knowledge that you’re definitely not alone dealing with a seemingly backwards circadian rhythm, and all you can really do is try to make your nightlife as non-stimulating as possible. Don’t have any caffeine after 1:30 pm due to its long half life (meaning, drinking 120 mg of coffee at 1 pm will leave you with about 60 mg left in your blood at 7 pm, thus keeping you awake), take hot showers at night because as your body cools down afterwards the changes in temperature encourage melatonin production, maintain a stable bedtime and wake up time everyday, and try not to rely on sleep aids at all costs. Especially Benadryl which is not good for you at all in the long term!

/r/GetOutOfBed Thread