In child care we are required to darken the rooms by 85% during nap time.
I had dark blankets that we hung from hooks permanently placed on the windows. Once the room is darker it sets a different mood and the kids bodies recognized it was time to shut down.
I had certain CD's that I would play and as soon as the kids started hearing the music they would start nodding off.
Taking time to figure out your biorhythms is a good idea too. Think about this from a different point of view.
Most people don't get off work at 5pm, go home and drop right into bed. They eat dinner, watch some TV, go visit with friends, do stuff. Then when they start getting tired the go take a bath, shower, etc...change clothes, start the bedtime routine. Then when they lay down their body is ready to let go and relax enough to go to sleep.
So my suggestion would be to take a few minutes and think about your body.
Do you feel like you can lay down and go to sleep as soon as you get in from work?
Do you need to eat "dinner" before you can lay down?
Do you feel wide awake and energized in the mornings? Then it will be next to impossible to sleep during that time. I am a night person so it is very easy for me to fall asleep as soon as I get home, but I cannot eat a meal then go lay down. I have to have a nearly empty tummy to fall asleep.
Do you have appointments that will take up your sleep time in the afternoon? Call and change them to the best time for you to get the maximum amount of sleep.
Do you take time to do some relaxation and perhaps meditation to get your mind ready to rest? Setting the mood and getting relaxed enough to fall asleep is important.
These ideas should help.
The things that will keep you from getting enough rest:
The phone is not unplugged, most sales companies or bill collectors will call during the day. Family and friends will forget you are sleeping and call anyway.
Tell hubby, kids, the schools, child care, anyone who may need you in an emergency that you are going to be trying to sleep during the hours of XXam-XXpm and if they need someone call the hubby.
If he is not on board for you to work this job he needs to have the wonderful experience of his wife and kiddos, the phone ringing, etc...over and over and over at least 2-3 nights in a row where he has to go to work the next day so he can "get the picture" of what your "nighttime" sleep is like. Guys just don't understand unless they have been there.
Your kids will have to have someone watch them while you sleep. If you are trying to take care of them at the same time you are trying to sleep you will end up in the hospital.
Sleep deprivation is not fun. I took steroids a year ago in December, the doc had me taking them in the evening instead of the morning. I would doze off a few minutes every 5-6 hours. This went on for about 4 days. By the end of those 4 days I went in the hospital ER and begged for them to put me to sleep. I was not functioning.
Our bodies must have sleep or your mind will break. Psychotic breaks are not uncommon with sleep deprivation.YOU must draw a line and not go over it. You must sleep as much as possible.