The most important points:

• Your sleep schedule can be disrupted for many reasons, including travel, work schedules and lifestyle choices.
• The circadian rhythm, also known as your internal body clock, regulates vital bodily functions like sleep patterns. Over time, it can develop bad habits that lead to you not getting enough sleep.
• As an adult, you should try to get between 7 and 9 hours of sleep per day. If you're not getting that much, consider changing your sleep routine.
• There are many ways to change your sleep pattern, such as developing a new routine, going to bed earlier and taking B・SYNC ON.
• The key to improving your sleep schedule is consistency. Don't expect immediate changes, but give the method you choose time to impact your circadian rhythm.

Do you sometimes wake up exhausted and toss and turn all night long, trying to lull your body to sleep? Do you have to set an alarm to jolt yourself out of bed on time every day? Struggling to wake up at the right times can be quite depressing and cause you to resign yourself to it, but there is a way to improve your poor sleep patterns.

Everyone needs different amounts of sleep and has their own personal schedule that depends on when you are most active, what time of day you wake up, your job/lifestyle, and when you eat. Most people tend to wake up at 7-9am and sleep at 9-11pm, but that doesn't have to be the case for a good sleep schedule. The one thing that ties people's perfect sleep schedule together is the consistency you need to achieve it.

Keep a weekly sleep diary to find out your ideal sleep schedule. Write down everything about your sleep schedule, when you wake up and sleep, when you eat, and how many hours of sleep you get per day. If you get less than 7 hours of sleep, you need to change your sleep schedule.

What is the circadian rhythm?

What is the circadian rhythm?

An irregular sleep pattern can negatively affect your circadian rhythm. The circadian rhythm is another name for your internal body clock, which regulates your sleep-wake cycle. It makes sure you feel sleepy and alert at the right times. The internal clock responds to your circadian rhythm, so if you keep going to bed later, you can develop a poor sleep pattern.

Your circadian rhythm regulates your mental, physical and behavioral changes such as body temperature, sleepiness and hormone secretion. If you wake up at inconvenient times, your circadian rhythm needs to be realigned.

The best way to help your body clock is to improve your sleep hygiene. Your sleep hygiene has nothing to do with baths or brushing your teeth. When we talk about sleep hygiene, it's about creating the ideal conditions for your sleep.

Why is a sleep routine so important?

Humans are creatures of habit, so our bodies and brains want us to go to bed and wake up at the same time every day [1].

A consistent sleep schedule helps us maintain our circadian rhythm, which controls our heart rate, blood pressure, and more. Lack of sleep or irregular sleep causes your circadian rhythm to release fewer human growth hormones, which help your body build muscle mass and burn fat.

If you don't have a regular sleep schedule, you're more likely to not get enough sleep, which can start your day off on the wrong foot. This can lead to you feeling grumpy, unsociable, and unfocused on your daily tasks.

It is possible to fix a "broken" sleep schedule. All you have to do is go to bed at the same time every day. This is easier said than done, but you can prepare yourself for sleep by developing a consistent routine [2].

The National Health Service (NHS) recommends that a healthy adult gets between 7 and 9 hours of sleep every day [3]. Changing your sleep pattern takes time, but if you are consistent and diligent enough, you can do it.

Why do we develop a bad sleep rhythm?

Many factors affect our sleep patterns. These can range from travel to irregular working hours. However, the main reason for poor sleep patterns is that people do not get enough sleep or put off going to bed.

A poor sleep pattern can have a negative impact on your health and have the following consequences:

• Sleep disorders
• obesity
• diabetes
• Depression
• Bipolar disorder
• Seasonal disturbance

These are all serious problems. Not getting enough sleep can also affect your performance and alertness during the day.

Travel

Traveling is one of the main reasons why people lose control of their sleep patterns. When you travel to a different time zone, your body doesn't go to sleep at the usual times, which changes your internal clock. Traveling can disorient your body, which can lead to a poor sleep pattern.

Jet lag can also affect your sleep patterns, making it difficult to fall asleep and wake up. When you're abroad on vacation, you often stay up later and sleep longer to enjoy your time more. This may be fun, but it can have a negative impact on your sleep patterns, as your circadian rhythm relies on consistent wake-up and sleep times.

Not 9 - 5 jobs

If you work shifts, you may have irregular hours, resulting in an irregular daily schedule that makes it difficult for your circadian rhythm to function. This disruption to your routine can leave you feeling sleepy throughout the day.

Night shift workers who work at night also have a hard time getting enough sleep because they are likely to sleep when it is light outside, so your body does not produce melatonin, which makes you sleepy. Freelancers can also have similar problems depending on whether they keep a fixed schedule.

Night owl or early riser

Some people naturally wake up earlier than others, others go to bed later. These people's circadian rhythms will anticipate this. However, when these people want to change their daily routine, they may have difficulty changing their schedule, in part because they don't get enough natural light.

Poor night’s sleep

Everyone can have trouble sleeping for some reason. Maybe you stayed out late last night, or you procrastinated before bed and said to yourself "just ten more minutes and then I'm going to bed" a few too many times. Maybe you drank too much caffeine, or emotional or stress-related problems kept your brain active when it should be resting.

Everyone has bad sleep sometimes, and that's fine, but a bad night can quickly turn into a bad sleep routine if you don't take action quickly.

Summertime

Daylight saving time shifts everyone's schedule back or forward. Even if you go to bed at the same time and sleep the same amount as before, your body needs some time to accept the new routine and reset your internal clock.

Blue light

Staying on your phone late into the night can keep you awake. The artificial light from our laptops and phones can disrupt our circadian rhythm and stop melatonin production. Avoid electronic devices at least half an hour before bedtime to avoid disrupting your sleep schedule.

How to change your sleep rhythm

If you're having trouble getting those all-important 7 to 9 hours of sleep a night, there are ways to get back to a good sleep schedule. The key to getting back to your routine is consistency, so stick with your preferred method even if you don't see immediate results, as it will take a while for your circadian rhythm to adjust to your new routine.

Try B・SYNC ON

B・SYNC ON is the world's first clinically proven wake-up pill. It can help you wake up happy, productive and sociable. All you need to do is take the pill 7 hours before you wake up. After 7 hours, B・SYNC ON slowly releases energy-rich nutrients and wakes you up gently and gradually, so you no longer need to be jolted awake by an alarm clock. The best thing about B・SYNC ON is that it is made of only natural ingredients, namely vitamins B12 and B5, zinc and caffeine, so you don't have to worry about ingesting harmful chemicals.

B・SYNC ON can help you improve your sleep rhythm by ensuring that you wake up at a specific time. This will help you re-synchronize your internal clock with your new wake-up time. To ensure that your circadian rhythm adjusts to your new wake-up time, try to take our tablets regularly at the same time.

Avoid large evening meals

Avoid eating a large, heavy meal in the evening, as this can lead to heartburn, which can wake you up in the middle of the night. Instead, try to eat a healthy, balanced meal in the evening. If you feel hungry, have a nutrient-rich snack like nuts, which contain many nutrients that are good for your body.

Move at the right time

Daily exercise can help you reset your body clock. According to the NHS, you should aim for 75 minutes of vigorous exercise or 150 minutes of moderate exercise per week [4]. Exercise can tire your body and get rid of excess energy, but you should avoid exercising in the hour before bed.

When you exercise, your brain and body become active and stimulated, increasing your body temperature and heart rate [5]. If you stimulate your body too much, it may be harder for you to fall asleep because your body needs time to calm down and be able to sleep.

 

If you must exercise in the hours before bed, try low-intensity exercise that doesn't overstimulate your brain, and make sure to have a cool-down period after your workout.

Go to bed earlier

Going to bed earlier may seem like a no-brainer, but if you go to bed an hour earlier, you'll just be waiting to fall asleep because your circadian rhythm won't adjust to sleep. Instead, try reducing your bedtime in small increments.

Try changing your bedtime by 15 minutes every few days. If you can sleep easily at that time, you can try reducing the time by another 15 minutes. Make small adjustments to make it easier for your body to adjust. Be patient, as it may take a while for your body to accept the new schedule. Don't expect immediate results.

Try not to snack

A few healthy snacks before bed are fine, but you should be careful about what you eat before bed. Avoid sugar, caffeine and nicotine before bed, as these substances can overstimulate you and keep you from falling asleep.

While alcohol can make you sleepy, it is low-quality sleep that will not allow you to rest properly. Avoid spicy or acidic snacks as they can cause heartburn or acid reflex [6]. If you are looking for a healthy snack, try eating nuts or fruits like kiwis, which promote sleep.

Avoid light at night

Humans are not nocturnal creatures, although some of us like to stay up later than others. Light signals our brain that it's time to wake up, and our body clocks function based on how much light we get and when we get it [7]. You should avoid light if you want to sleep earlier and shift your sleep schedule [8].

Light stops your body from producing melatonin, which makes us sleepy, so try to avoid light as much as possible [9]. Avoiding light can be difficult if you work shifts, but it's not impossible. Try to avoid blue light like phones, TVs, and laptops as much as possible before bed, as this artificial light can also affect melatonin production.

Go to bed with the curtains open

If you have trouble waking up regularly, sleeping with the curtains open may help. This allows your body to wake up slowly in the morning and gradually slows down melatonin production.

Getting enough natural light during the day is very important because it can help you better synchronize your internal clock [10].

Establish a bedtime routine

Developing a good routine can signal to your brain that it's time to wind down and go to sleep. Your body can interpret repetitive activities as a sign that it's time to go to bed.

These activities can be anything, but it's best if they're relaxing and enjoyable for you and not too stimulating. You could do yoga, meditate, read, or even take a warm bath before bed. Relaxing music can also help you wind down in the evening. You can also try filling your room with pleasant scents like lavender, which your brain can interpret as a signal if you smell it enough before bed.

Make sure your room is neither too hot nor too cold, and keep the temperature at around 15-19°C. The right sleeping temperature can help you get a good night's sleep [11]. Whatever routine you choose, it should be comfortable and enjoyable, not a chore.

No nap

Getting enough sleep is important, but try to avoid napping during the day as it can disrupt your circadian rhythm and throw you out of sync with your internal body clock. While it may prevent you from feeling sleepy in the moment, it also makes it harder to fall asleep later.

If you must take a nap, try not to sleep for more than 30 minutes and only in the early afternoon, as anything else can seriously disrupt your circadian rhythm.

Don't sleep in

If you sleep late, it might be a good idea to sleep in and make up for the hours of sleep you lost. However, this can have a negative impact on your sleep schedule because it tells your body clock that this is the right time to sleep and wake up, which you may not want. Instead, try to wake up at the same time every morning, regardless of how long you slept.

You can buy an alarm clock, get a B・SYNC ON, or sleep with the curtains open to control when your body wakes up. Don't try to hit the snooze button or go back to sleep when you reach your desired wake-up time.

Consistency is key, don't wake up at a different time every day. Make your sleep schedule as predictable as possible so your body clock understands your new routine. Try not to wake up later on weekends or holidays or you'll have to change your sleep schedule again.

Final thoughts

Consistency is key to improving your sleep pattern. Give yourself some time for each method you try; eventually, you'll develop a healthier schedule. Changing your sleep pattern isn't easy, and it's important to be disciplined. But try not to be too hard on yourself, as this could lead to you feeling sad or depressed, making it even harder to fall asleep.

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