Are you a night owl or a morning person? How has your military service affected your sleep cycle and how do you cope?

Being a chef for over 30 years, I've worked swing shifts, plus with PTSD/MST, and sleep apnea what the HELL is sleep??? Even with meds I'm calling it a great night to get 4 hours, and the cpap machines don't work, I knock it off (very uncomfortable). So when I'm off, I take cat naps during the day- when I'm working I try not to over tire myself. (LOL)

I was mostly excited for my discharge so that I could work on my emotional state. Throughout my career I hardly ever slept and when I did Marines that know me will tell you it was in the strangest of circumstances. Though it took some focus and training, my sleep is almost normal.

Definitely a night owl. I love reading until the wee hours and now I have RP to keep me awake too. I guess I'm afraid I might miss something if I go to sleep. Mid day naps don't help the sleep cycle either.

doing 2 - 2 - 2 - 80, you adapted!
( two day watches, two mid watch and two night watches, then 80 hours off )
It was hell on "family life", but we all survived it!

Erin Fleming I would not be very helpful.I am neither a morning person or a night-owl,i sleep odd hours and very few at that(2-3 hours out of 24)maybe,and have done this since i was in my early 20's.

it depends on the activities... and that has to be done the next day...

Erin Fleming I am a night owl. However, the military has me getting up early and staying up late so no sleep. Or I end up trying to go to bed hours before everyone else so I can actually get some sleep before an early morning.

Sleep! What's that? It is that thing that happens at 2 in the afternoon and from 12-5 AM. I toss and turn. I had a sleep study and I'm fine. I woke up three or four times during the study but there is no sleep apnea. Some of us just have difficulty with sleep and it dies affect mood, energy, and other health issues. I've tried every medication, but it is what it is. At least I'm retired so I don't have to function 100% every day.

As a former infantryman, I have no sleep cycle! Three days awake and then four hours and ready to go!!!

Neither or both i guess. I usually sleep 4-5 hours a night, usually automatically wake up right around 0600. If i sleep longer i feel like i'm wasting the day. However, i do have to the ability to snatch a "cat nap", literally anytime, anyplace if i'm bored and/or waiting.