[Cattle Rustler]

Previously I had a normal sleeping schedule 1-2am to 7-8am. Then it changed to 7am-1pm and noon-6pm.

Now it's at 2am-8/9am, but I'm getting a lot of calls and interviews which requires changing my sleeping schedule to a regular time frame, say midnight-630am.

Here's the problem: I wake up at 730-8am but by noon or 1pm I start to get sleepy and require a 2-3 hour nap. It used to come at 11am but little by little I managed to push it. As much as I try to shake away the drowsy feeling, it doesn't go away. Eating breakfast, no help. Current mood: yawing and the couch nearby looks nice.

It's a bit frustrating since napping for 2-3 hours in the middle of a business day takes off a lot of opportunities.

Any help or tips would help. Thanks in advance.

[TheSlayer]

I had the same low energy problem during the day as you do now. For me regularly working out has taken care of it. If you are at home all day applying for jobs, make sure you are not just sitting on your couch all day. Being active actually increases your energy levels.

Also, your diet maybe playing a big role in it especially if you are eating a lot of fast food. It seems like you are only sleeping 5-6 hours. Do you wake up with an alarm or do you wake up when you wake up? Try to sleep for 7-8 hours if possible and maybe that will take care of the nap you need during the day.

I would just start with working out and changing my diet. Those worked for me.

[samsamsam]

How about working out right when you start to feel tired. Or take green tea pills, it gives me a little energy when I work out but it isn't a totally hard core energy booster.

[Lou pai]

I would try to get to bed before midnight. As I always feel less groggy if i get to sleep before midnight. Second I would eat a lighter breakfast. I have a protein shake in the morning so I do not get that full feeling which makes one tired. Also it might take a week or two to adjust to your new schedule.

[renotime]

Try getting 8-10 hours of sleep a night.

[Tex Pro]

I used to have this problem.

My solution: I drink a sugar-free Redbull when I wake up in the morning and something caffeinated during lunch (like a diet Coke). The only downside is that when I don't drink a Redbull in the morning, I am groggy the rest of the day. You could also try drinking coffee in the morning and something caffeinated during lunch.

[NY Digital]

Try a combination of ACV, green tea pills, and a B vitamin complex.

B vitamins are used in large amounts in energy drinks. They work. You can buy it on Amazon.

[Roadrunner]

Keep a permanent boner.
Panda out.

[Giovonny]

There is no substitute for quality sleep.

You are living a vampire lifestyle.

Try to maintain a normal sleep schedule.

The best thing can do is go to bed before midnight.

You need a CONSISTENT SLEEP SCHEDULE.

Nap when you can, catch up on weekends,.

Consistency before midnight is key.

[Spider]

There's a medicine called Modafinil (generic: provigil) that is not a stimulant

Rather, it is 'arousal promoting' drug, with relatively few, or no side effects. It also doesn't have a come down which is often associated with stimulants like adderal, Ritalin, even caffeine etc.

Dave Asprey discusses it a lot on his site Bulletproof Exec. (He has some interviews on CNN and abc discussing the drug)

Worth checking out if supplements and diet aren't doing the trick - also seeing as its supposed to be virtually harmless (much less toxic than Tylenol) ... I'm seeing a psychologist Monday and trying to get a prescription...always tired during class since waking up for 8 AM classes can be pretty exhausting....and I hate the way adderal and other ADD pills make me feel - don't understand how everyone in college uses them.

[MidniteSpecial]

Adrenal fatigue out the ass son. Get you some ginseng aka man herb.

[Katatonic]

(08-23-2013 02:04 PM)Spider Wrote:  

There's a medicine called Modafinil (generic: provigil) that is not a stimulant

Rather, it is 'arousal promoting' drug, with relatively few, or no side effects. It also doesn't have a come down which is often associated with stimulants like adderal, Ritalin, even caffeine etc.

Dave Asprey discusses it a lot on his site Bulletproof Exec. (He has some interviews on CNN and abc discussing the drug)

Worth checking out if supplements and diet aren't doing the trick - also seeing as its supposed to be virtually harmless (much less toxic than Tylenol) ... I'm seeing a psychologist Monday and trying to get a prescription...always tired during class since waking up for 8 AM classes can be pretty exhausting....and I hate the way adderal and other ADD pills make me feel - don't understand how everyone in college uses them.

I've been on it full time for months now. I take 200mg when I wake up and am very alert for 14+ hours. The only drawback to modafinil is your urine will get a sulfuric odor to it, but other than that it's perfect.

[Hades]

Most people who have trouble staying awake during the day work indoors. Open a window and get some fresh air, see if that cures it.
Also take 5-10,000 IUs of vitamin D immediately after waking.

[MikeCF]

I have the same problem. Are you a night owl?

I ask because when I am awake from noon to 5 or 6 a.m., I feel great the entire time. There is no mid-day slump.

When on normal hours, the mid-day slump hits big time.

The best thing that worked for me was juice. A green juice in the afternoon is the best pick-me-up known to man.

[JimNortonFan]

Low carb diet to avoid blood sugar swings.

Smaller meals to avoid getting tired after eating.

[eradicator]

Some good advice already here: get to sleep an hour earlier and avoid eating processed food and fast food that has a lot of food additives.

[JimNortonFan]

Tryptophan or melatonin before bed as a last resort.

[gringochileno]

This happens to me too when I fall behind on sleep. Drowsiness in the middle of the day is usually due to either not getting enough sleep at night, or you're not getting good quality sleep.

Try to get 8 hours a night and see if that helps (contrary to popular belief, the time you go to sleep doesn't make a difference as long as you're getting enough hours of sleep--all maintaining a consistent schedule does is help you fall asleep when you go to bed).

In your situation, melatonin might be a good choice for a sleep aid as well. It's a substance produced naturally by your brain that works by helping to reset your body's internal sleep clock. It seems to work best in people with frequently changing sleep schedules and hasn't been shown to promote tolerance or dependence. Another way it will help you is by forcing you to stick to an adequate sleep regimen, since you need to give it a full 8 hours in order to avoid a hangover effect the next day.

[Pyre]

STRETCH!!!

10 min of yoga stretching does wonders.

I know it's entirely hard to convince yourself to take 10 min to focus on slow stretching - "motherfucker, I have SO MUCH fucking shit to do" - but that 10 minutes sets you right for the next 6-8 hours.

Go to a quiet place and stretch. Hold each pose/stretch/asana for 10 deep slow breaths.

[Starke]

I had severe fatigue a few years back, changed my diet by moving all protein-heavy meals to the end of the day and the improvements were drastic.

If that doesn't work for you, try Modafinil.

[Virtus]

Modafinil is where its at

[Hades]

I'm leery on using melatonin, it's just like doping with testosterone, after a while your body decides it doesn't have to produce any more and pretty soon you're like those crazy Russian prisoners in that sleep study creepypasta.

Try a ZMA supplement before bed, or at least a dose of magnesium. I use a magnesium supplement and it works great.

[little wing]

Try caffeine tablets

[Cattle Rustler]

Just wanted to give a huge THANK YOU to the guys who replied. All your advice and help has been helpful. I'll try to get 8-10 hours for a week with vitamins and if that doesn't work out then I'll try the pill stuff.

I went for a run around the neighborhood and....found 3 mountain lions in my front yard just as I opened my door, that gave me a boost. Sadly the boost lasted 1 hour. I feel asleep on my chair for 2 1/2 hours. Woke up and ate a traditional mexican meal...as always, huevo con chorizo (eggs with spicy sausage and tortilla).

I tried to reply to the best of my ability. Again, your help has been helpful. RVF, never fails to impress me.

(08-23-2013 12:29 PM)TheSlayer Wrote:  

Being active actually increases your energy levels.

Also, your diet maybe playing a big role in it especially if you are eating a lot of fast food. It seems like you are only sleeping 5-6 hours. Do you wake up with an alarm or do you wake up when you wake up? Try to sleep for 7-8 hours if possible and maybe that will take care of the nap you need during the day.

I eat a lot of Mexican homemade food (huevo con papas/chorizo/ejotes [eggs with potato/chorizo/green beans], enchiladas, etc) with tortillas, not many processed foods. The thing is that I don't work out that much, I'll definitely start to work out again.

(08-23-2013 12:30 PM)samsamsam Wrote:  

How about working out right when you start to feel tired. Or take green tea pills, it gives me a little energy when I work out but it isn't a totally hard core energy booster.

After taking a walk and running around the neighborhood, it gave me a boost. I'll buy some GT pills this weekend and see what's up.

(08-23-2013 12:30 PM)Lou pai Wrote:  

I would try to get to bed before midnight. As I always feel less groggy if i get to sleep before midnight. Second I would eat a lighter breakfast. I have a protein shake in the morning so I do not get that full feeling which makes one tired. Also it might take a week or two to adjust to your new schedule.

(08-23-2013 01:18 PM)renotime Wrote:  

Try getting 8-10 hours of sleep a night.

This seems to be the major point. Getting 5-6 hours only charges me up to 50%.

(08-23-2013 01:22 PM)The Texas Prophet Wrote:  

I used to have this problem.

My solution: I drink a sugar-free Redbull when I wake up in the morning and something caffeinated during lunch (like a diet Coke). The only downside is that when I don't drink a Redbull in the morning, I am groggy the rest of the day. You could also try drinking coffee in the morning and something caffeinated during lunch.

Seems like a good mix, hopefully that doesn't push the grogginess to a few hours later. Have you tried yellow tea-flavored monster? That stuff goes off the hook.

(08-23-2013 01:26 PM)NY Digital Wrote:  

Try a combination of ACV, green tea pills, and a B vitamin complex.

B vitamins are used in large amounts in energy drinks. They work. You can buy it on Amazon.

I'll keep that in mind and order some or get them at the store, in addition to getting enough sleep.

(08-23-2013 01:36 PM)SexualHarrasmentPanda Wrote:  

Keep a permanent boner.
Panda out.

V throughout the day? Chicks will dig that lol.

(08-23-2013 01:45 PM)Giovonny Wrote:  

There is no substitute for quality sleep.

You are living a vampire lifestyle.

Try to maintain a normal sleep schedule.

The best thing can do is go to bed before midnight.

You need a CONSISTENT SLEEP SCHEDULE.

Nap when you can, catch up on weekends,.

Consistency before midnight is key.

This. If I maintain a regular schedule everything works out, but one or two all nighters ruin everything and I'm back on noon-18:00. I'll try to sleep for 8+ hours for a week before trying anything else, but i'll add some vitamins to my mornings too.

(08-23-2013 02:04 PM)Spider Wrote:  

There's a medicine called Modafinil (generic: provigil) that is not a stimulant

Rather, it is 'arousal promoting' drug, with relatively few, or no side effects. It also doesn't have a come down which is often associated with stimulants like adderal, Ritalin, even caffeine etc.

Dave Asprey discusses it a lot on his site Bulletproof Exec. (He has some interviews on CNN and abc discussing the drug)

Worth checking out if supplements and diet aren't doing the trick - also seeing as its supposed to be virtually harmless (much less toxic than Tylenol) ... I'm seeing a psychologist Monday and trying to get a prescription...always tired during class since waking up for 8 AM classes can be pretty exhausting....and I hate the way adderal and other ADD pills make me feel - don't understand how everyone in college uses them.

Adderal and Rita makes you focus but doesn't give you energy, I guess it does it niche work with college kids. If nothing works out, I'll resort to this.

(08-23-2013 02:10 PM)MidniteSpecial Wrote:  

Adrenal fatigue out the ass son. Get you some ginseng aka man herb.

Any recommendation on when I should drink the G?

(08-23-2013 03:15 PM)Katatonic Wrote:  

I've been on it full time for months now. I take 200mg when I wake up and am very alert for 14+ hours. The only drawback to modafinil is your urine will get a sulfuric odor to it, but other than that it's perfect.

I'll use this as a last resort, it seems like a good product to use to get through the workday.

(08-23-2013 03:54 PM)Hades Wrote:  

Most people who have trouble staying awake during the day work indoors. Open a window and get some fresh air, see if that cures it.
Also take 5-10,000 IUs of vitamin D immediately after waking.

Fresh air and walking outside worked for a bit, the air is a bit stale in my room. Any particular type of vitamin brand or will generic do?

(08-23-2013 04:41 PM)MikeCF Wrote:  

I have the same problem. Are you a night owl?

I ask because when I am awake from noon to 5 or 6 a.m., I feel great the entire time. There is no mid-day slump.

When on normal hours, the mid-day slump hits big time.

The best thing that worked for me was juice. A green juice in the afternoon is the best pick-me-up known to man.

I'm a night owl, my productivity skyrockets during the night but I need to get business done during the day.

Green juice, as in ginseng?

(08-23-2013 05:07 PM)JimNortonFan Wrote:  

Low carb diet to avoid blood sugar swings.

Smaller meals to avoid getting tired after eating.

Eating 3 bowls of Cocoa Rice Krispis for breakfast doesn't do wonders. I'll search the forum for diets since I need to drop 15ish pounds too.

(08-23-2013 05:18 PM)master_thespian Wrote:  

Some good advice already here: get to sleep an hour earlier and avoid eating processed food and fast food that has a lot of food additives.

I'm starting to get into that, processed food has a different taste.

(08-23-2013 06:37 PM)JimNortonFan Wrote:  

Tryptophan or melatonin before bed as a last resort.

Does that help you sleep? I'll try it as a last resort. Usually I take Nyquil if I have problems sleeping.

(08-23-2013 08:20 PM)gringochileno Wrote:  

This happens to me too when I fall behind on sleep. Drowsiness in the middle of the day is usually due to either not getting enough sleep at night, or you're not getting good quality sleep.

Try to get 8 hours a night and see if that helps (contrary to popular belief, the time you go to sleep doesn't make a difference as long as you're getting enough hours of sleep--all maintaining a consistent schedule does is help you fall asleep when you go to bed).

In your situation, melatonin might be a good choice for a sleep aid as well. It's a substance produced naturally by your brain that works by helping to reset your body's internal sleep clock. It seems to work best in people with frequently changing sleep schedules and hasn't been shown to promote tolerance or dependence. Another way it will help you is by forcing you to stick to an adequate sleep regimen, since you need to give it a full 8 hours in order to avoid a hangover effect the next day.

I didn't know about Melatonin, I'll look it up though as it seems to work well. Keeping a regular schedule seems to be the problem, and sleeping 8 a day.

(08-23-2013 08:55 PM)Pyre Wrote:  

STRETCH!!!

10 min of yoga stretching does wonders.

I know it's entirely hard to convince yourself to take 10 min to focus on slow stretching - "motherfucker, I have SO MUCH fucking shit to do" - but that 10 minutes sets you right for the next 6-8 hours.

Go to a quiet place and stretch. Hold each pose/stretch/asana for 10 deep slow breaths.

I did something similar during the evenings with a yoga ball. Man, that worked wonders. It seems like a good workout during lunch before working out in the evenings.

(08-23-2013 09:17 PM)Starke Wrote:  

I had severe fatigue a few years back, changed my diet by moving all protein-heavy meals to the end of the day and the improvements were drastic.

If that doesn't work for you, try Modafinil.

Searching diet threads would do good, I just eat what I want...which is probably a bad idea. Cereal for breakfast and mexican food for dinner.

[Aliblahba]

First thing in the morning drink a glass of water with 1/2 squeezed lemon, ACV, and a dash of cayenne. When you get hungry have a late breakfast, but that concoction holds me until lunch. Midday drink a glass of coconut water. It'll give you an energy boost.