Best Way to Reset Your Biological Clock

When your natural sleep cycle is disturbed, it may have trouble resetting itself. The solution is to stick with a healthy sleeping schedule. Make yourself stay on schedule for a week or two, and your own natural rhythm will usual­ly reestablish itself. Try following these steps:

Set a Regular Waking Time and Stick with It

The key to restoring a healthy schedule is setting a regular time to get up each morning. Your waking time is the signal that allows your biological clock to reset itself. Choose a time that works for you, and get up at that time no matter what. Even if you slept poorly the night before, adhere to your schedule. Sleeping late to make up for a bad night’s sleep upsets your own internal rhythm.

At first, you will probably need to set a time for going to bed as well. To do so, start with your wake-up time and move back 7 or 8 hours (or whatever your normal sleep time is). After a while, your body will tell you when you need to go to sleep. If you stick by your waking time, bed­time should take care of itself.

Try Not to Vary from Day to Day

Shifting your schedule back and forth sends mixed mes­sages to your biological clock. Don’t sleep late on week­ends or holidays. When you’re having trouble sleeping, it’s best not to vary your schedule more than an hour. Once your sleep cycle is reestablished, you may be able to give yourself a little more leeway.

Avoid Daytime Naps

Taking a nap during the day tells your biological clock, “It’s nighttime now.” Even when you’re having trouble sleeping at night, don’t take daytime naps. Concentrate your sleep where it ought to be: at night.

You May Sleep Better by Sleeping Less

People tend to need less sleep as they get older. Of course, the amount of sleep needed in a 24-hour period varies from person to person. Some people may be programmed to sleep 4 or 5 hours a night while others do better with 8 or more.

Whatever amount of sleep is best for you, you’ll prob­ably feel more rested if you get it all at once. If you lie in bed for 10 hours but only sleep 6, you’re likely to get up exhausted. You’ll feel better if you get those same 6 hours of sleep during a 7-hour period.

If your sleep is interrupted and restless, try cutting down on the amount of time in bed. You’ll probably spend just as many hours sleeping, but fewer hours tossing and turning.