# Working with the racing stables



## 4horses (Nov 26, 2012)

What about trying melatonin? I think you will have to start going to bed at 7pm. Read for twenty minutes before bed, than lights out. My neighbor works the night shift with the police department. I don't know how he does it as the 3 kids are up during the day and he is up all night. 

No matter how much studying you do you must get to bed at a certain time. After a week you should adapt. I did foal watch during college. I would be up all night and go straight to class the next morning. After class I would go straight to bed. It is not easy but you adapt. I can always take a two or three hour nap when needed. If I can't nap I go to bed early.


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## HombresArablegacy (Oct 12, 2013)

Mythilus said:


> Hey everyone, I have secured myself a job - HOORAY - working with racehorses again. I have a question, though. I have worked with racehorses before but my boss was very strict on not working before sun-up, ergo, I didn't not have to start until around 7am in the morning and only ended to get up at 6 or 6:30am which is a reasonable time even the non-horsey people do. But this trainer expects us to start at 4:30am, and me living 45 minutes away (30 mins if I'm rushing) means I get the lucky task of waking up at 3am to fit in breakfast, getting dressed, doing anything i forgot to do like filling up my car. Our house lease runs out in early December and we may move closer to the track but until then, I am after your tips on not only getting up this early, but being able to stay awake all day!! I go by my sleep cycle rhythm that says most people have cycles that last 90 mins so I should sleep in multiples of 90, but the iPad app I downloaded suggests I got to bed at 7:15pm and that's just not possible. It's still light outside and I also study. Any thoughts?
> 
> Also, I sometimes panic about my sleep and end up staying awake til 2am worrying about not sleeping. I am also setting my alarm for 3am now (I start work on Monday) and am forcing myself to get up and eat something in the hopes my body will start waking me up to eat every day at 3. I also take sleeping medication anyway and apparently it's strong stuff but if I'm anxious enough my body overthrows it.



About 20 years ago, I had a job that required me to be at work at 4 am, and drive time was anywhere from an hour to 90 minutes. The way myself, and most of the crew I worked with handled it this way. We'd get done around 10 in the morning, go have breakfast, and go home or to our hotel and sleep for about 4 hours, get up around 5, have dinner, take care of the horses, then back to bed at 10 pm, getting up at 2 or 2:30 am. So I got 8 hours of sleep, total. But, back then I consumed a LOT of caffeinated sodas on those early morning drives, lol. So, I suggest you try breaking up your sleep into 2 shifts and see if it works for you. Congrats on the job, you will adapt if it's important to you. Catch up on sleep on your days off. I did this for 5 years, and as I approach " geezer status" lol, I sure couldn't do that grind now.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## MyBoyPuck (Mar 27, 2009)

Mythilus said:


> Also, I sometimes panic about my sleep and end up staying awake til 2am worrying about not sleeping.
> .


Ugh I do that when I know I have to get up early. I totally psych myself out and don't fall asleep until about an hour before I have to get up. If you get that one thing sorted out, please let me know what you did. Maybe once you settle into your new hours your body will start to adjust on it's own.


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## Mythilus (Aug 16, 2010)

Thanks guys, I will give the melatonin a shot. I'll also try to nap if I get too tired. It's gonna be fun...not. Lol


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