Change in sleep patterns

[Michael33]

Hey guys just have a quick question if any of you can give me some advice I'd appreciate it.
I've been off from university and work for a little while, my anxiety has pretty much subsided other than a few random days here and there where I feel bad.

anyhow, the point of my post is this, I've recently got a new job in sales at Goodlife fitness which is a gym that I've been really interested in working at for a while now.. The problem is, for the last few months I've been on a sleep schedule of going to bed around 2-3a.m and waking up around 10-11 sometimes even 12 because I haven't had much to do and my parents were great in letting me take some time away from all the stresses in my life to heal.

So now my issue is, this job entails me to wake up at 7a.m every day, I know that once or twice in these last few months off I've had to wake up early and I wasn't able to go to bed before 2a.m because I just wasn't tired, and those few days my anxiety was spiking-ish. I'm just terrified that having to be on this 7a.m schedule for months will take me back a few steps in healing and make my anxiety worse.

[nf1234]

Im basically in your same situation except I don't have to wake up early yet. I graduated college and am taking time to heal and am on the same schedule. I have been gradually adjusting it though. Idk when you start this job but I'd recommend to start adjusting now. As long as you goto bed early enough and get enough rest your anxiety should be okay. The first week might be a little rough but after that youll be okay. As for falling asleep early looking into melatonin or Natural Calm magnesium. Also Sleepytime EXTRA tea puts me out pretty well.

[Anne1221]

Yes, set you alarm and get started in walking up earlier. My therapist tells me it is best for me to have a set sleeping routine, rather than letting myself sleep in. On the bright side, you'll be able to get plenty of exercise I hope.

[Michael33]

Thanks guys, really comforting just to hear people having experienced similar situations.

I'm just really worried because my anxiety was really brought on by just lack of sleep. I was never an anxious person until I started pulling all nighters for university exams and drinking coffees at 5a.m to stay awake until my 9am exam or whatnot. I also used to go straight to the gym after exams or all nighters with 0 sleep and do high intensity work outs, until one day I had a panic attack and all the anxiety/intrusive thoughts/other crap started. The most difficult thing for me after that panic attack was having good sleeps, at first it was sleeping for 4-5 hours and waking up without being able to go back to sleep, then it went to waking up every single hour, and now finally I'm able to sleep for 7-8 hours (unless I sleep in it's more like 9-10 hours), and it seems to have helped the most in whatever progress I've made so far.

[nf1234]

I have to laugh because it was the same for me. I was never an anxious person until one summer I took too many classes and did an internship. I pushed my body to its limits and it finally broke and here I am. I don't think the early mornings will be a problem just take care of yourself. If you wake up early than goto bed early. No all nighters. Go easy on those workouts. All those things put strain on the adrenal glands which produce the hormones that have a huge effect on sleep and anxiety. If you can't fall asleep at night there are plenty of natural things to try. But the number one thing is to be smart about it. Don't push your body. Take care of it and it will take care of you.

[Penguin]

If you think you're strong enough, you should pull an all nighter and then the following day you'll be so tired and pass out at a more reasonable hour... but be prepared to sleep a solid 12 hours in one night. I think this is fine though because you'll likely sleep at 8-9pm and the next day be awake for roughly 9am as well. Do this as soon as you can and within about a week your hours will be pretty close to normal. I've done this before and it has got me started on the right track when my sleeping schedule was messed up. Congrats on the new job and it's great to hear that your anxiety has subsided :)