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way of following this recommendation, try this experiment: Set aside your belief that routines are ___________ (fill in the negative word or phrase, such as “boring” or “limiting to my freedom”) for one month and see how you feel. In other words, commit to following the set schedule for one month (not for life) and see whether avoiding social jet lag leads to an improvement in your sleep and in how you feel during the day.
    What about Setting a Regular Bedtime?
    If the body clock works best when you keep a regular schedule, then should you set a bedtime? This is a tricky question to answer. It is best to have a set bedtime that matches your body clock; that is, a bedtime that coincides with when you regularly feel sleepy. However, sleepiness also depends on how much sleep drive you have built up over the course of the day, so keeping to a bedtime does not always make sense (a) on nights when you have not yet built enough drive for deep sleep or (b) if you often become upset as bedtime approaches and the resultant distress interferes with your ability to sleep.
    The time at which you become sleepy can vary from night to night. However, the time at which you have to get up in the morning is often dependent on external factors such as work or other obligations; therefore, you should focus on establishing a set rise time. By observing this rise time seven days a week, you will begin to feel sleepy around the same time each night. This sense of sleepiness will act as your new cue for bedtime, rather than a precise time on a clock. But remember not to go to bed much earlier than your ideal bedtime (see chapter 2).
    If It Does Not Work
    If you maintain the exact same rise time every day, this practice should lead to feeling sleepy around the same time every night. However, it should be noted that even with your body clock sending sleepy cues around the same time each night, you may be doing things that interfere with or undermine this natural process. For example, do you remain active and engaged in your environment right up until your bedtime? Do you feel as if you have too much to do at night, preventing you from following a relaxing bedtime routine? Activity can override the sleepy cues or make it difficult for you to actually notice them. A failure to unwind before bedtime will result in an overactive mind and lead to sleep disturbance. For more on the importance of protecting your wind-down period and for help in doing so, see chapter 5.
    Summary
    This chapter taught you to identify your body clock type to determine your ideal sleep window, the time during which you are most likely to sleep well. You can then set a new sleep schedule. The most important part of your new schedule is your rise time—you should rise at the same time every day. Varying your rise time can lead to social jet lag, which contributes to sleep problems.
    You may be reluctant to follow a new sleep schedule, even if it means better sleep for you, if it would conflict with your sleeping partner’s schedule. If so, you can avoid friction in the relationship if both of you are understanding and willing to make some adjustments and compromises. If you have objections to scheduling your sleep time because you have a distaste for schedules and routines, experiment with keeping a schedule for a month.
    Don’t forget:
     
Everyone’s body clock is different. Accept that your body clock type may not be the same as your partner’s or friend’s.
Ensure that your sleep window matches your body clock type.
Use an alarm to enforce your new rise time.

Chapter 4
    Train Your Active Mind to Be Quiet in Bed
    O nce you have adjusted your sleep habits and you start sleeping better (see chapters 2 and 3), it’s time to turn your attention to training your mind to be quiet in bed, so that your time in bed is even more restful. There are many reasons an active mind may keep you awake when you want to be sleeping. This chapter focuses on one common reason: you have