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Hi there,

My friend has great trouble heading to bed at a decent time. He finds himself saying midnight is too early and then stays awake until about 4/5am. He then goes to sleep until about 12/1 midday. Due to his line of work (gigging) being quite unpredictable over the years this has meant he has been seeing bedtime later and later. Please can you give advice on the best course to help him sleep earlier as this is effecting his mental health (self esteem, motivation, productivity, sense of purpose & general happiness).
Many thanks

Thank you for your question - it would be interesting to know if your friend still gigs on a regular basis?
It sounds like his body clock has completely shifted so that he now feels sleepy at the wrong time. Does he find himself waking up later or does he still get up at the same time?

I would suggest your friend would benefit from Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) for Insomnia where they may look at his sleep hygiene, stimulus control and sleep restriction therapy.