Sleepless in Nursing School- how do you unwind??

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Hi all!

So I started nursing school 3.5 weeks ago. It's an evening LPN program, 3 nights a week from 3:50-10:10, and one weekened clinical shift a month starting in October. I work full time from 8:00-3:00 on the nights I have school, and then Mondays and Fridays I work 8:00-5:00. I drive almost an hour to/from my job.

The problem is that during the week I am exhausted, obviously, when class gets out at 10:10. I live about ten minutes away from the school (thank goodness) so I can't really unwind on the way home. Usually I'm home by 10:30, petting my dogs for the first time in like 14 hours, talking to my husband for basically the first time all day, and catching up. At this point I am completely and totally wide awake. I switched to start taking showers at night instead of the morning since I figured that would help me settle down. I decided NOT to study when I get home or read textbooks since it makes me anxious and I don't seem to retain it anyway. I've tried reading a novel or even a magazine but I still can't settle. Lately I've been falling asleep between 1am and 2am, and then my alarm goes off at 6. I am dead on my feet at work and getting progressively exhausted as the week goes on, until the last night of nursing school for the week (thursday nights) when I can't focus. And then Friday at work is miserable when all I can think about is sleep.

Does anyone have any tips on how to get into a better sleep routine? I've always been an "8 straight" kinda person who needs her 8 hours, which I obviously knew I was going to have to sacrifice when I started nursing school. but getting half of that is killing me, and I don't want it to start jeopardizing my grades.

I'm hoping maybe a lot of it is just nerves and I will settle down once I get into the swing of it all....

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this may sound crazy, but is there a way you can cut back on your hours from work so you have more time for school and sleep? If not, try drinking tea or laying in bed around the time your husband goes to bed so it forces you to fall asleep earlier.

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I also am an evening students, and get home around 10:30 three nights a week. As soon as I come home, I have a quick snack, and then I watch a TV show and cuddle with my husband. I do no studying those nights. I am usually in bed right after midnight, and then up at 7. It's not too bad.

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Thanks guys. I actually just bought some melatonin too, i'm thinking if i take it right when i get home it might help me regulate everything and drift off easier. I'm hoping eventually i'll be more exhausted than keyed up soon and be able to pass out as soon as i get home ;)

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