Ambien works great. Its habit forming but not addictive. Non narcotic. Easy to stop even after taking it for years with the only issue a few sleepless nights. Also available in Generic so cheap. http://www.drugs.com/ambien.html John
Even some caffeine during the day can interfere with sleep. Switch to a quality decaf. Depending upon age, 8 hours of sleep is a bare minimum. Older people need less. Younger need more. If/when your sleep cycle gets out of phase, skip the sleep for that cycle and you will be (very) ready to sleep at the target time for the next cycle. This might be a little extreme for some, but it works. Use meds, including melatonin, as a last resort. Avoid if possible. A glass of red wine before bed can help.
Life is good. It offers so much. You can have heaven on Earth every day. You decide. But sleep is so good too. You take off and dive deeply, passing through the mysteries of timelessness and dreams before once again resurfacing. I use a lot of sleep. Its enjoyable. I can take a nap in the sack almost any time if I feel the urge and want to recharge my system. Equally it means I can take a day or days of long hours of work or of work and play if I need to do so or want to do so.
"Trading and regular sleep" Perhaps that is what I am doing wrong lately. I keep trying to trade while I am awake. Serously, the workout tip is probably the best. It is good for the body/soul/mind. get yer mind off of trading by hitting the gym. Plus, there is usually some nice eye candy.
Interesting thread. Have you considered finding a market to trade to fit your lifestyle rather than bending your lifestyle to fit a market you want to trade? There are lots of markets to trade everywhere!