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I'm Up All Night Until 4 or 5am and Haven't Gone To Sleep Since 10pm

by Milly
(London)

I have sleep insomnia and can't get to sleep some nights. Most nights I drift off but occasionally I get nights where I'm up till the early morning. Now it's the six weeks holiday so I stay I a bit later till about 10:00 or 10:30 and school nights 9:00 or 9:30 and I can't seem to get off.


I have a fan on at night as my room is hot but I have earplugs to block out the sounds I have a eyemask to block out all light and a glass of water in the side I live with my mum, dad and sister and a dog (Labrador).

I sleep on my own but when I have these problems I feel like I want to be with someone at the minute my mum is sleeping downstairs as my dad has broken his back and is lying in bed. Now my mum can't sleep with him till he's better as she fidgets a lot. I did try and sneak downstairs to lay on the floor by the couch with her but she caught me and said to just lay in bed and wait till you drop off, but I can't.

I'm a bit of a clock watcher but I can't help it. I turn away from it but I can't resist to peak at looking at the minutes count do till 3:37 - 3:38 - 3:39 and so on it upsets me because A. I'm jealous that everybody else is getting sleep and B. because I want someone else up with me and C. How long will I be up for, will I be ok tomorrow suing the day is it bad for my health.

I'm 14 by the way and going into year 10 studying my gcse's can someone just help me tell me what to do give me advice what am I doing wrong what can I do better it would be much appreciated

Comments for I'm Up All Night Until 4 or 5am and Haven't Gone To Sleep Since 10pm

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Oct 27, 2014
 Bright Light Therapy
by: Kevin

Hi Milly, Thank you for sharing your story. I would suggest looking into delayed sleep phase syndrome. Having a delayed sleep phase is relatively common in teenage years, and it basically results in you not being able to sleep until early in the morning. One of the best ways to combat it is by getting plenty of bright light in the morning. Do you have curtains you can pull aside in your bedroom to let the light of the morning in? Even if you are still sleeping, having the morning light hitting your eyelids can help shift your biological clock and move your sleep phase up. Getting outside in the sunlight during the morning can help too.

Good luck with your GCSEs and feel free to update your page here with your progress using the comments.
Jan 05, 2015
 I think I have the same thing :/ NEW
by: Kyle gamble

I'm 11 (almost 12 now) and I'm having the same problem,every night no matter how early or late I go to bed I just can't get to sleep (most nights I don't get any sleep) and I always feel like I want somebody in my room with me ,I just hate being alone, and it's really effecting my school work , it makes it hard to remember things and concentrate which is especially bad since I started secondary school. If anyone has a solution please tell me
Jul 16, 2015
 ：） NEW
by: Hayzel

Owh, I think just setting a consistent routine, relaxing, not eating 2 hours before bed, taking electronics out of your room, taking work/school related things out, eating healthy throughout the day and exercising heavily during the day, and having a shower or bath at night is good to reduce this!! I have what you guys are saying above! I'm 16, and ya, it's the holidays, so my sleep pattern is very messy, and I couldn't seem to get to sleep today! I went to bed at 12am? Couldn't get to sleep and then got out of bed at 2am and went on my phone that was in my room (shouldn't have been there and looked up sleep tips). Then I couldn't get to sleep for ages. I kept looking at the clock?!! Until 7am!! And then I went on my phone! It's now 8:41am! All nighter! This is a second time this has happened, not in a row though. A good website for sleep help is mind.org.uk look up sleep tips and insomnia!! Good luck! And the most important thing is to have a positive attitude about sleep, know you can sleep and you'll get to sleep! If you cannot sleep after 15 mins get out of bed and do something relaxing for 10 mins then go back to bed and sleep!

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