Can't Get off this Night Time Schedule

[AtomicHawk]

All,

I just completed my FINAL trip to a land so far away, by the time I arrived there I was on my way back to Texas. 14 freaking hour time difference.

Our bitter Winter is there 120 degree Summer!!!

My last freaking gift from that place was the 'Summer Flu' and I didn't get it fully till I reutrned home.

The result, with all this sleeping I have done in the last 7 days??? I can not get off a damn night routine to save my life. I have missed like 3 major parties and events that I wanted to attend, and even WORSE...very few providers are feeling all the sprightly come 0100 when I am just hitting my version of the 0700 stride.

Besides copious and almost lethal amounts of caffeine injections, does anyone on this board know a good technique to flip my schedule a full 180 degrees?

I have really tried the technique of 'Sleeping till you can't sleep anymore' and that hasn't done anything so far

So, any ladies of the night, who are veritiable night owls like myself, and would like company for 2 hours tonight, let me know. Because I can guarnatee that I am going to be awake...

[charlestudor2005]

Stay off the drugs.

Eat cookies and drink warm mild at about 9PM.

Go to bed about 10. Turn ON the bedroom TV to C-SPAN, keeping the sound on very low. You'll be asleep in about 30-45 minutes.

If C-SPAN doesn't work, turn to C-SPAN2. It becomes the book channel in the middle of the night sometime. There's nothing more boring than listening to an author promote his/her book.

[irishlad]

The technique is not to sleep more it is to stay awake more.

Wake up at 1AM (or whenever it is that you're waking up normally right now), then force yourself to stay awake until 10PM or so (whatever you want your normal bed time to be). From that point on sleep as much as you can, but never go to bed until 10PM. This will get you back on track in 1-3 days.

[winemaker]

get liquid melatonin. It helps reset the body's circadian clock.
Take it about an hour before you want to go to bed. Make sure you attempt to sleep during that time, otherwise, you'll wind back up.

Been a standard routine for many road warriors for a long time.

[runswithscissors]

In hindsight, get as much sleep on the plane as you can....I frequent Southeast Asia, and always sleep as soon as possible on the plane. Melatonin is a great idea, us travellers have known this one for a long time; and yes, stay off the stimulants; let your body readjust its internal clock..

I also go a little Zen when I first arrive back; find a good massage therapist; need not be sexual, aromatherapy, total body relaxation, mood music, eye mask, etc.

This is actually the best remedy I have found and I travel extensively. You are looking to "calm" your brain after blowing through six or seven time zones, so total body relaxation massages work wonders...

[cckid2006]

Use to work a lot of night shifts. Typically I wouldn't sleep at first. If I had trouble sleeping after that, a beer and huge steak would put me to sleep.

[GneissGuy]

I remember reading a medical study or some such claiming that there was a way to do this with your eating patterns. Sorry, but you'll need to Google it up, because I forget the details.

It was something like if you want to start waking up at 6 AM, don't eat anything after 6 PM, or even earlier.

Or I may have that backwards.

The article talked like it was some sort of miracle cure.

[justabloke]

China?

My routine is to drink no alcohol on the flights, but as much water as your system can handle. When you arrive at your destination, force yourself into the local timezone. If you arrive at 9am, for example, try to stay awake until close to your normal bedtime. Stay away from alcohol for the next few days. On my last 2 trips I have indulged in our hobby one the same day that I arrived, despite having very little sleep during the journeys.