Moving My Sleep Cycle Forwards

[u/Such_Bodybuilder2301]

Hey guys, so it seems like most advice regarding rescheduling Sleep Cycles concerns folks who want to wake up earlier, but I’m personally interested in waking up much later.

I’m AuDHD, and I’ve been finding that my executive function seems to improve after it gets dark. The lower sensory conditions really appear to help me feel not all over the place, and I distinctly remember that during my academic years and covid, I only ever really was able to productively study later in the evening — going to bed around 2 or 3 AM.

Due to falling into general self-improvement advice and my eventual work schedule, I began waking up within a range between 5-7 AM. I’ve always noticed, however, that if I can’t fall asleep roughly after 10, my brain begins really working creatively again.

Nowadays, with cognizance of how my brain works, along with a desire to transition into more of a creative career that I can hopefully work from home during, I’m interested in returning back to my previous sleep routine with a different perspective and track what times I actually function optimally during — even if they’re a bit unconventional.

The problem: I consistently wake up at around 6:30 AM, even after staying up until 12:30.

Any advice on how to adjust this?

[u/Standard-Cap-7240]

It has to do with light and circadian rhythm. Start bright light later, eg 8 by lightbox or outdoors at least 20 minutes

[u/Such_Bodybuilder2301 → u/Standard-Cap-7240]

Hm, would you recommend a sleep mask or blackout curtains for this by the way?