How to get your sleep cycle back

Travel, shift work, or even a few nights up worrying can upset your sleep. They can throw off your circadian rhythm, the internal clock that controls when you sleep and wake.

You don’t have to take sleep problems lying down,try some tips to get your sleep cycle back in sync.

Dim the Lights in the Evening

Too much light at night pushes your sleep time later. To cut down on light at night:

Keep lights low near the end of the day. Turn off bright overhead lights.

Ban laptops, tablets, cell phones, and TVs from your bedroom — and don’t use them in the hour or so before sleep. “Our eyes are most sensitive to the bluish light that electronic screens emit,” says Yo-El Ju, MD, of the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, Mo.

If you’re on the overnight shift, wear sunglasses from the time you leave work until you get home.

Use Bright Light in the Morning 

• Your body’s clock is “set” by cues like light, darkness, and when you eat or exercise. Light is the strongest of these cues. It tells your brain whether it’s night or day, and that tells you when to sleep.

• When you wake up, turn on bright lights and throw open the curtains to bring in daylight.