If you’re like me, then summer is a time when your sleep schedule gets drastically effed up. The definition of a “good” sleep schedule is when you go to bed and wake up at the same time every day. Although it is preferred that you wake up when its light out and go to bed when it’s not, as long as you’re waking up at the same time every day, then you don’t have too much to be worried about. However, if you find that you’re going to bed later and later every night, and sleeping in longer and longer, it’s time to get a handle on things. Some people actually have an internal clock that is on something more like a 25 or 26 hour day, for either natural or unnatural reasons. If you want to function with society, it’s recommended that you adopt the 24 hour day schedule. If you find yourself with an awful sleep schedule, here are some tips of what to do:

-Attempt to get up at the same time every day. Set an alarm at this time. Even if you find yourself falling back asleep, keep setting the alarm.

-During the day, use natural sunlight instead of artificial lighting in the house. When the sun sets, keep the artificial lighting in your room to a minimum. This helps sync to sync you with the sun, encouraging that you go to bed when it sets and wake up when it rises.

-If you’re the type of person who uses the computer a lot, limit your use at night. Try to have a set time when you shut it off. Turning it off about 30 minutes before you would like to goto bed is a good choice. If you’re the type of person who always likes doing things, have something to do before you go to bed that does not involve the computer, such as read a book, do math problems, origami, etc.

-Don’t have any major meals after dinner. This encourages your body to stay up later. If you find that you are sleeping in so much that you miss breakfast, then just have lunch and dinner, and eat a bit more if you need to make up for missing breakfast.

-Don’t wait to go to bed until you are completely exhausted. Go to bed when you are feeling a bit tired. Staying up as long as you can will surely push your schedule forward.

If you are thinking about taking sleeping pills, then my recommendation is don’t. Chances are that you’ll take them one night and they’ll help, and the next night you’ll be back to the same schedule due to your bad habbits, causing you to take them more often and develop an addiction. Fix your bad sleep habbits first, and if that still doesn’t work, then maybe its time to try an over the counter sleep aid.