Prayer at higher latitudes

[Little_Lion]

One of the most difficult things I am facing as a new revert is following the times for prayers. This is in large part because of my location; to give an example, Fajr was at 5:23 AM, and Isha is at 9:44 PM, and we're only just hitting April. As the days lengthen, the time for me to sleep at night is going to get shorter and shorter. I'm already having trouble because in order to pray on time in the morning I have to get up at 5 AM, and it's 10:30 at night before I'm ready for bed after Isha. Napping is not always an option, and really messes me up for getting to bed after Isha (hence why I'm often on here at 2 AM my time. :( )

Does anyone have any advice for people whose prayer times don't allow for a full night's sleep? Not getting a good solid eight hours . . . well, lets say I've been asking for a lot of forgiveness. I get cranky. :embarrass

[Ummu Sufyaan]

Assalamu alaykum
could you somehow train yourself to sleep only for 6 hours? also, could you sleep after fajr for a bit aswell?

would going to sleep when you are extremely tired (bit not over tired) work, becuase that way if you sleep really tired, then you may have a more deeper sleep which would make you feel like you've slept a life time, but in reality you've slept a few hours.

[tigerkhan]

i had read somewher that Esha Prayer in masjid nabi was at very late sometime. this is because Prophet PBUH and Suhaba RA was much involved in spreading islam and dawa activities. So sometime Suhaba RA who is much tired may sleep b4 esha salat.
i had practicaly see this in pakistan, raiwind. esha salat there is at 11.00 PM sometime in summer.

[Little_Lion]

Ummu: unfortunately a nap after Fajr is not practical, because of my regular daily schedule (school and my internship, and for those I would usually get up at 6 AM; it would be GREAT if I could sleep between Fajr and Zhuhr, because that time period is actually longer now than the time between Isha and Fajr!). I've tried the 6 hour schedule and while it was fine when I was younger, I wish it worked as well now. In another month I would not even get that; I'm estimating Fajr to be sometime around 4:30 AM and Isha to be around 10:30, 10:45 PM. And one thing I do NOT want to get into the habit of doing is jumping out of bed, rushing to prayer, or the opposite, rushing through prayer and jumping into bed. I'm hoping to find a good way of waking well-rested so that I can fully dedicate myself to it as is proper, and not be yawning my way through the rest of the prayers during the day, or falling asleep during prostration at night!

But Tiger, it is good to know that our Prophet (saw) would sometimes nap in the evening before Isha . . . unfortunately I've tried it, and what happens is since I've just had a nap, I can't get back to sleep. I've tried making myself tired after prayer, but any exercise just energizes me!

Ug, perhaps I am just whining and its a trial of living in this area. :lol:

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[Ummu Sufyaan]

Ummu: unfortunately a nap after Fajr is not practical, because of my regular daily schedule (school and my internship, and for those I would usually get up at 6 AM; it would be GREAT if I could sleep between Fajr and Zhuhr, because that time period is actually longer now than the time between Isha and Fajr!). I've tried the 6 hour schedule and while it was fine when I was younger, I wish it worked as well now. In another month I would not even get that; I'm estimating Fajr to be sometime around 4:30 AM and Isha to be around 10:30, 10:45 PM. And one thing I do NOT want to get into the habit of doing is jumping out of bed, rushing to prayer, or the opposite, rushing through prayer and jumping into bed. I'm hoping to find a good way of waking well-rested so that I can fully dedicate myself to it as is proper, and not be yawning my way through the rest of the prayers during the day, or falling asleep during prostration at night!

hmmm, do you eat anything before you sleep? even if it is something light? eating something before you sleep can cause you to sleep more heavier.

[Woodrow]

I think it is a price we pay if we choose to live in the far North. I know prayer times were much easier when I lived in Texas than they are up in the Dakotas. But we get our revenge in the winter time with our extremely long nights.