Bad quality of sleep

When i was younger (under 17) i used to love sleeping, often had lucid dreams(even though at the time i had no idea they were anything special) and found much artistic inspiration from my dreams. I can hardly remember that now(23) that sleeping has become a dreaded chore :(

There are a few things off with me.
For one i have never had a regular sleep cycle, i go to sleep when I'm tired and wake up when i wake up. Usually i spend anywhere between 15 to 24 hours awake and sleep for 9, always 9 on the dot. The problems begin when i try and force it into a schedule. If i try and go to sleep when I'm not sufficiently tired, i just lie there for hours and get more and more energized until eventually i get bored and get up.. refreshed, for a few hours anyway. If i get woken before i wake by myself it'll be normal for the first 6-7 hours and then i just get very confused because most of me will be very tired while some part of me is wide awake, from experience its best to wait it out until I'm tired all over. I've tried to obtain a regular cycle many times for weeks at an end but always resulted in me just being zombified so i decided to just leave it be.

Second thing is the bit that makes me dread sleeping. Whenever i lie down for more than 10 minutes i get awful heart burn, i was diagnosed with GERD a few years back. This means that if I'm not asleep in 10 it's not happening, not for a few hours anyway after which i can try again. Usually takes me 2-3 attempts to get there, this causes similar effects to trying to regulate my cycle, total train wreck. I rarely get a good night of sleep and i cant even remember the last time i saw a dream, feeling burnt out has become the new normal.

My doc says that a regular sleep cycle would help me fall asleep faster and also lessen the effects of GERD. The problem is that i'm currently so out of whack that i don't even know where to begin. Well, i thought i did, i tried to nullify the effects of gerd with drugs for a while to develop a regular cycle. To get the desired effect though i was way abusing painkillers and antacids (2x or more of daily dosage) and since i wasn't any closer to my goal in a week i decided not to continue. Now i'm thinking i have to approach this from the sleeping end of things. I never was a good candidate for that to begin with but i'm out of other ideas. Maybe you guys have some ideas on how to get there or at least make me fall asleep faster?

Other potentially relevant stuff: I'm slightly underweight (195cm/67kg). Smoked from 14-22, switched to vaping around a year ago. Due to work and personal interests i spend at least 12 hours a day sitting, staring at the computer screen, sometimes all day. Eating is another dreaded chore, i do try and get at least 2000cals in me every day though.

Antacids can actually exacerbate heartburn. I had heartburn issues for years and essentially became 'addicted' to antacids. It made me think that the issue was sooo much worse that it really was. When I found out that they could be making it worse, I went cold turkey. It SUCKED for about a month, then tapered off. I only get it now when I eat really greasy foods or drink lots of alcohol.

I'm in a similar situation sleep cycle wise. I've noticed that I just cycle forward slowly (two weeks to a month for a full cycle) and I don't usually have a solid amount of sleep - 7-10 hours is normal >_<. In any case, can't help you there - just lots of empathy.

Do you exercise? Exercising in the morning just a few minutes every day or every other day might help you regulate your sleep cycle by having a healthier body - don't exercise too late at night though because it might keep you awake. Do you drink caffeine? If so, strive to reduce or eliminate it. Have you tried sleeping in different positions? Also have you considered changing your mattress? All this could help improve the quality of sleep. Good luck!

Oh man, that was way dramatic on my part, lol. Had an especially crappy night yesterday, i feel much better in the mornings. I don't regularly consume caffeine, i am guilty of no exercise though, i'll be working on that. I've tried all sorts of positions including on the floor and under the bed.. Usually what works best is on my left side with my bed raised ~10 degrees at the top but currently i can't do that because sleeping exclusively on that shoulder makes it really sore every now and then. Haven't really thought about the mattress, my current one is rather firm since thats what my doc recommended me years ago.

I saw an internet ad somewhere for a thingy that goes around your neck to enable you to sleep upright, i was thinking of strapping myself to a wall or something with that on. Sure would look retarded but might work..? Is there any known disadvantages to sleeping upright?

Many of us try to sleep as little as possible. There are so many things that seem more interesting or important than getting a few more hours of sleep, but just as exercise and nutrition are essential for optimal health and happiness, so is sleep

Hi
To cope with bad sleep, manage stress with early exercises and be modest about food and drinks. Avoid alcohol, smoking and caffeine and try to relax before going to bed. Create a restful sleeping environment and have the bedroom be dark and quiet.
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