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My Losing Battle With DSPS--SLEEP ALL DAY and AWAKE ALL NIGHT

by Nyx
(Canada)

It is hell. No other word best describes DSPS. You are CONSTANTLY tired, have a VERY hard time falling asleep, and then wake up STILL feeling tired. My "day" starts at 5-7 p.m. in the evening, and ends at 6-9 a.m. in the morning. It's especially hard because my family doesn't understand and EXPECTS me to get up at normal times and do stuff that, frankly, I could care less about, because I would rather be getting the VERY MUCH needed sleep that I probably will not get in the first place.


My DSPS has been consistently going on since late February of 2011. It has been hell. Plain and simple. And it's now August. AUGUST!!!!

I have tried natural sleep aids to no avail. I simply REFUSE to go anywhere near prescription sleep aids!!!! The side effects out-weight the "help" they would deliver.

It is a hopeless battle with no victory in sight. The door is closed at the end of the tunnel.

Any help would be nice. Desperate for relief is me.

Well,... battle-on.

Sincerely,

Nyx.

Comments for My Losing Battle With DSPS--SLEEP ALL DAY and AWAKE ALL NIGHT

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Aug 22, 2011
 You should have some sleep aids on hand however
by: Dave

Hey I understand you don't want any sleep aids in your battle of DSPS however i think that is unwise. Id go to your DR and have him/her check you out and prescribe whatever sleep medicine is suitable for you. Then get the meds and have it in your Cabinet or near the bed. Even if YOU don't take it the mere fact that you have it accessible to you might mentally put you in a mood for sleep. However if you were to say be still up at 1 am or 2 am you can then take the meds and sleep thus avoiding having to stay up till 4 or 5 am etc.

You are unnecessarily hurting yourself. Its best to get checked by a doctor to at least put yourself on the right track versus dealing with this yourself.
Aug 24, 2011
 It helps me
by: Anonymous

People that can't sleep seem to think too much. In my point of view instead of resorting to any medication you should try disconnecting yourself from any serious distractions such as the computer, televisions, phones etc. Artificial light sends the wrong signal to the brain. Try drinking chamomile tea, warm milk or even "sleepy" tea's that are all natural but they help you relax. Possibly reading while drinking this might help, read till you get tired or even just lie down and if clearing your mind doesn't do the trick then fill it with every thought you may have. Plan out the following day, If there's a problem think about how you could approach it and what the results may be. Things like that. When you go through everything and feel that there's nothing more you can do and resolve anything, you'll start to relax more and end up falling asleep. If that doesn't work there is always another approach. It might not be guaranteed but it's the case for some people. So let's say that it's the weekend, you can sleep in till noon and your not tired at night. If you can't fall asleep stay up as late as you want but in the morning set an alarm for early in the morning maybe 7-8 am. The next day due to lack of sleep you'll be more tired at night and ready to crash. Keep a constant sleep schedule. If you sleep less in one day and more in the other your confusing your body and you wont get away from your DSPS.
Aug 27, 2011
 Limiting time in bed to sleep better
by: SleepingUgly

I agree with Anonymous-the ONLY thing that works for me is to go to bed late and force myself to get up early, by the clock, every morning, weekends and holidays included. No naps during the day, no pleasant drowsing in bed in the morning, just up and at 'em. It's really hard, but the worst thing to do is sleep in after a rough night. Sleeping in creates a vicious cycle of sleeping poorly the next night, etc., etc.

This approach isn't pleasant, it's not easy, but for me, makes me sleep like a rock. And if I do, I get the "treat" of going to bed a little earlier the next night, a little earlier the next night, and so on.

This won't win anyone any fans among roommates or family, but I figure that sleeping well is more important than popularity : )
Sep 06, 2011
 Dsps
by: Anonymous

Hi i am 12 yrs old and i have dsps the doctor said i have it cuz of my grandma and i hate it but then my mum described it to me as speacil 0.17 people have dsps and dont know it ! Only 0.10 have got diagnosed i have diagnosed mine after one whole year of calling me lazy ! It is a relief ! I now get home schooled and just sleep normal times from 2am - 1pm! I find the natual way best light boxes and other stuff didnt have a lasting affect on me and i am agaist taking pills!!! I hope now some people go a bit easier on themselves !!! Thanks for reading
Nov 18, 2011
 Indecisive NEW
by: Avery

Heyy, I'm 15 and I'm unsure to if I'm suffering from DSPS. I've had trouble getting too sleep for years. And it's close to impossible for me to get up in the morning for school. Resulting in nearly missing my school bus, most days. I'm plagued by constant tiredness and feel as if I'm struggling to keep myself awake throughout the day. But by the time I try to get some sleep in the evening, I just lie awake for hours watching the clock tick by.
And now I'm starting all my exams in a few weeks. I'm feeling more pressured and fear not being able to do everything that is needed. Due to my tiredness I don't always have the energy to revise or do homework. And it results in people thinking I'm lazy.
Dec 01, 2011
 DSPS cures NEW
by: Rudolph

I have had a sleeping disorder my whole life, and at 30 I finally found a proper diagnosis in DSPS.

I have been able to cope (or make do) with the amount of sleep I get most of the time, but times of emotional stress exacerbate the condition due to poor sleep.

None of the usual treatment plans have worked for me, and I would never recommend anyone take sleeping tablets to try to cure DSPS. Sleeping tablets interfere with the cycles of sleep (slow wave, REM etc.) and as such, I found that when they do work (which is rare), and put me asleep at a normal hour, I feel less rested than when I went to bed. When life demands it (getting up early for a meeting or conference) I still use sleeping tablets as a stop gap measure, but found that moving the meeting to later in the day is a much better option (since I am wide awake and rested rather than being 'hung-over' from a sleeping tabled, or out-of-my-mind tired from only having 3 hours worth of sleep).

I have come to accept that my body just does not want to sleep at certain times (like asking a 'normal' person to fall asleep at 2 pm and sleep till 10 pm). As anyone who is used to working a night shift for a long time, and whether they 'get used to it'. The answer is NO, your body has a natural rhythm, and it cannot be changed permanently. Acceptance and management of DSPS is the real cure here.

I have not tried sleep deprivation therapy, and frankly I have decided not to. On the rare occasions that treatments did help, the periods of relief were brief. Less than 2 weeks at a time, before some stressor triggers the circadian shift again. I feel that the hell of sleep deprivation is not worth a couple of weeks' normal sleeping pattern, which will just be undone the next time I have a bad day at work, or some other emotional turmoil.

I've learned to live with the problem, and my schedule is adjusted likewise. Though my employer sometimes balks, he knows that this is just how it is.

DSPS is a usually long term or permanent disability (albeit an invisible one) and should not be treated like a disease that can be cured.

Just my two cents' worth I guess.
Dec 15, 2011
 This is destroying my life NEW
by: Kelly

For years I have struggled to go to bed and sleep at a reasonable hour, its usually 2-3am before I eventually feel tired enough to sleep and usually I am in bed around 10pm.
I have 5 alarm clocks and a friend of mine rings the house phone to get me up but i dont hear it :(
I sleep longer and get up still feeling tired an de motivated.
I have had days where I have over sleep and not got the kids in school or woke up and on many occassions I wake up with a few mins to spare to get the kids dressed and run to the school.
I am missing so many days off work and I really need the money badly.
Ive already been labeled for years as Idle and work shy and im sick of this life and of being me.
NOONE believes me when I say I cant wake up they just think im a lazy a**
Sometimes I just sit crying for ages about this and theres no way out of it.
If anyone finds any thing that helps please do share, this really is ruining my life.
Dec 23, 2011
 Wow.. NEW
by: Sir Denis Nayland Smith

Incredible.

Since about the age of twelve or thirteen I have had problems waking up on time for school, I was always getting in trouble for being late to school and I never found it easy to wake up on time. During the summer my sleeping patterns would always revert to pattern of going to sleep around 4-5am and waking up some time in the afternoon, after about 8 hours on my own, with no aid from alarms and feeling refreshed. It led to numerous problems in highschool, ending in failing most of my morning classes. I think since grade 6 I managed to have one solid month of being able to go to sleep and wake up on time..

Well I am now twenty three. I work a full time job and my hours are *supposed* to be 7-5, and I have ALWAYS found it hard to wake up and thankfully I am incredibly good at what I do and my boss allows it to "slide", even though he does not like it. The past 6 months it has gotten incredibly bad, to the point where I get into work around 12-2pm because I cannot fall into a "proper" sleep cycle. I have tried everything, melatonin, warm milk, sleeping pills.. My mind is so alert and racing at night, even if I have been sleep deprived and awake for 30+ hours

I have always said that if I am allowed to sleep as I wish, I fall asleep between 5-6am and wake up at 12-2pm, without issue, without aid, feeling fully refreshed and ready for the day - even before I stumbled onto this DSPS business.

To make matters worse, even sleep depriving myself does not work. I awoke yesterday at 1pm after sleeping for 16! yes 16 hours because I stayed up for an entire day and went to bed at 9pm after 34 hours of being awake - fell asleep since I was incredibly tired, yet I continued to sleep. I have multiple alarms set and I ALWAYS sleep through them, I'll even turn them off in a sleepy dream daze without even noticing. Often I will see the time and corellate it to something in my dream, ie. 6:15am becomes a 6 minute and 15 second lap time in the F1 race I am participating in in my dreams (lol)

I fall asleep best during day light, more so as the sun is beginning to rise. I can fall asleep at any time during the day, irregardless of when I last woke. Any time I try to fall asleep at night I often end up laying there awake for what seems forever with my mind racing.
Dec 23, 2011
 wow.. part2 NEW
by: Sir Denis Nayland Smith

I am completely at my wits end and I don't know what to do. I cant keep pulling 36 hour days in order to be at work for 7.. it just kills me mentally and physically, yet even if I do fall asleep at a normal hour and get a full rest I still feel like a zombie all day with the ability to fall asleep almost instantaneously.It is completely affecting my life and I fear losing my job. It depresses the heck out of me and causes suicidal thoughts because I am completely unable to "snap out" of this. I have managed at times to restore some semblance of a normal sleep pattern, however the weekend comes and I sleep until noon, and then by sunday night I am so alert that I just cannot fall asleep. Add to this the fact that alarms do nothing for me and its a real real problem. Even when I do manage to normalize my schedule it does not last for very long..

I don't know what to do anymore. I don't want to give in and accept this pattern of sleep as it completely limits your lifestyle.. but as of right now I have absolutely no stability and its seeming to be my only option.
Jan 17, 2012
 Sharing NEW
by: Devon's mom

Hainvg DSPS is so difficult as I've seen from trying to deal with it with my son. He's had it since about 2003 - but also has nocturnal seizures. He's had sleep testing and was put on melatonin by the specialist in TOronto. It doesn't seem to be working anymore. We've just moved to The Niagara area and are now searching for a new specialist to hopefully find a solution. DSPS is hard on a person in so many ways and has a huge impact on social life and career - well,heck, life in general. And you're right, very few understand what you're going through. Deon has non 24 hour DSPS. If he kept a sleep diary, he would visibly notice a time change on a daily basis. Do anyone of you have this form? His has developed so that his sleep time can be anywhere from 8 to 13 hours at a time. Unfortunately I have no words of wisdom for any of you except to try everything you can. This disorder should be considered a disability.what do u think?
Feb 07, 2012
 OMG! NEW
by: Naïssa

OMG, I don't know that I should cry if be happy with all the comments that I'm reading... I'm not alone! You all are exactly describing the hell I've been going trough for years... I've come to a point that I cannot function anymore. I hate it that the 'normal people' judge me for being lazy, while I try sooooo hard to go to work at 9AM. It would be a relief to stop fighting this madness, but then what?
Good luck to you all...
Mar 11, 2013
 My Best Compromise NEW
by: Hugh Caley

I've been dealing with DSPS for the last 16 years or so. The best I've been able to do for myself is somewhat of a compromise, but it does allow me to work reasonable hours and have a reasonable social life.

As a computer programmer my working hours don't need to be regimented as much as some. I've talked my boss into allowing me to start work at 10 AM.

So, my body wants to stay up until 4 or 5 AM. Instead, I go to bed about 1:30 or 2 AM and take 10-20 mg of Ambien. This generally keeps me asleep until 8:30 or 9 AM, which is early enough to allow me to get to work at 10 AM. I also have a supply of generic Sonata, for those mornings when I wake up too early; it allows about 2 more hours of sleep, generally.

This is definitely not any kind of "cure" for the condition, but it does allow me to live a reasonable life with my wife and a job that I enjoy doing. My main point with all of this is that it doesn't have to be all or nothing; going to sleep at 2 AM isn't great, but it's not that bad either. I've been able to maintain this schedule for almost 10 years now. It works. I'd like something better, but I can deal with this.
Jan 21, 2014
 8 years of hell NEW
by: cazza

Hi everybody, its been interesting reading all these comments and its good to know I'm not alone. I have suffered from what I have always thought is insomnia but now I realise its more likely to be dsps. I have tried every possible remedy that I can find in an attempt to make myself fall asleep at a normal time ( say 11pm). I seems I have to accept that I will never be able to fall asleep until about 4am. The torture I go through laying in my bed waiting to fall asleep and then having to get up for work after about 3 hours sleep. I have felt an absolute wreck for the last 8 years and have felt that my way of life has been ruined. It makes me miserable and angry that I cant be normal and makes my homelife impossible. I hate it so much. I tell myself to just accept it and live with it but I find it extremely hard. If anybody has any tips etc I would be glad to hear them. I sleep perfectly fine when I do fall asleep its just the hours from when I go to bed to when I fall asleep that I find so hard to deal with.
Jul 06, 2014
 sleep all day and stay up all night NEW
by: Anonymous

I have a problem with sleeping all day and staying up all night. When I do try to sleep all night, My eyes won't stay shut and it becomes a problem. Also
I get afraid of the dark but that's not the point.

The point is that Sleeping all day and staying up all night is like a habit that I can not break. I hardly do anything or get to do anything because I am always sleeping and it's not good for my health.
I've tried several things, but it feels like nothings working.

I don't want to continue this sleep cycle and it's interfering with my lifestyle. I am at my wits end.
I also have a problem with how I eat because of it.
What should I do?
Dec 04, 2014
 So glad I'm not alone / crazy NEW
by: Sleepy

The comments here have made me realize I'm not alone especially the woman who slept for 16 hours that is 100% me! I will try to "reset" my clock my staying up all night or even take a sleep aid to fall asleep around 9-10pm but I don't wake up until at least 1pm! Whenever I'm up early I feel like I'm about to just fall asleep anywhere. I've had every diagnosis thrown my way from narcolepsy to depression all of which have been ruled out - I'm just thankful for the internet that finding a job on "my own hours" and going to school online is actually possible. If I didn't have the internet I don't know where I would be sleeping my life away....
Dec 11, 2014
 5 things that helped some, please read, hope it helps you NEW
by: Nellie

I have read all the posts and my heart goes out to all of you. I am posting in the sincere desire, someone can benefit from what I have tried. Sleep problems I have struggled with off & on for 30 years but the last 2 years, it exploded thru the roof. I could fall asleep with ambien but woke up 6 - 8 times per night. It is pure hell. There is nothing worse than waking up after three hours & anxiety blasting through you. My mind never turns off. I can be up 48 hours straight & manage to function & look normal. I feel almost insane inside though. When you reach this stage you should NOT be avoiding prescriptions. Tried every herbal thing under the sun. NOTHING WORKED. Herbal is difficult because it can contain only trace amounts of the key ingredient & more may be actually needed. One brand of valerian root made me sleepy but very draggy. Okay thats fine, it helped. I think it was a dollar store brand, then I forgot where I got it & went to an expensive herbal vitamin store. The brand I bought did NOTHING despite taking 13 (thirteen!!) capsules. Awake till 4 am. I even took it back & got another brand but it did not work. So herbal things can be inconsistent. I did the melatonin thing too. Still do. Once drank two quarts of chamolile tea. Ha ha up till 7 am. I used piles of gaba supplement, insositol, & so many things, I don't want to waste your time reading this. Tapes, therapy, hypnosis, prayer, etc.

There is nothing worse than reading all these glowing reviews from people who swear something made them sleep like a baby; you purchase it or it is prescribed, you r so hopeful & you take it & you lay there. & you lay there. THE CRUSHING DISAPOINTMENT. I have cried so many tears listening to my husband gently sleep. Tears of pain & sadness. Rage. Anger, knowing I could not wake him up for comfort because he too needed his sleep. Years of my family & partner not getting it, not understanding why I constantly told them over & over "I can't sleep, I can't sleep!!!!!" No one listened. It was not until I got lyme disease & broke down sobbing in my doctors office I was finally believed. Here I was, a college graduate, worked all my life, never drank or did drugs & I was ready to sell my home & put myself in a psych ward. I already had ambien (zolipedem) but I used it sparingly to avoid tolerance (save for emergencies) & woke up 6 -7 times during the night anyway.

I think you have to rotate with different medications & tactics to avoid addiction & be able to survive. Used wisely you can regain some health. You r a human being & deserve the gift of sleep. You all know the routine of all lights off, pitch dark, go to bed at the same time, blah blah...so I won't go into that.

I started with several different things about 6 weeks ago. One thing I had to tell myself was to try & stay calm, don't get your hope up. I was so used to all this misery, I didnt give a damn about when I went to bed, I HATED TO GO TO BED. But I did start to try & be in bed with lights out between 9 & 10. Now thats torture but I with new meds I really wanted to give them a chance. The results r fair to good but hopeful.

I rotate several different things. The big heavy is tempazepam. 30 mg. Here is what happened: I lay there feeling less anxious for about an hour. I wanted to get angry & upset but tried to control myself. Another hour passed. I tried to control my disapointment. I felt fairly calm. Then I fell asleep but don't remember getting sleepy!! I slept about 7-8 straight thru as opposed to 6 to 7 awakenings. I was amazed. I felt a little groggy but filled with wonder. During the day I was tired but felt a wee bit optimistic. I did this four nights in a row & began to worry about tolerance & addiction. I wanted to rotate this with other things carefully

My doctor just told me on the nights I do not take the tempazepam I could split my ambien dose in half, take one dose & when I woke up take the other half. So I stopped & tried the ambien trick. Woke up once & took the other half (.5 or .25) The sleep was not as good but I have started to feel life is worth living.
I don't want to build up a tolerance or become addicted I only use one to three times per week. The sleep is not that good but HEY its some sleep!!!!!.

The next thing I use is something called phenibut. Phenibut powder is a derivative of the neurotransmitter GABA with an added phenyl ring molecule in its chemical structure. This small different has an important effect: while GABA itself cannot cross over the blood brain barrier if ingested in supplement form, Phenibut can transport across this barrier. This means that Phenibut can interact directly with GABA receptors in the brain to cause a number of effects for anxiety & stress reductions. You feel a little calm, think you won't sleep but you do go eventually. This too helped me sleep all night or most of the night. That is two or four nights. My doctor did not order this. I ordered it online.

Here is another thing to try, lots lots of progesterone cream. Don't use protretrium. Its synthetic. I am talking like 1/3 of a jar or 100 to 300 mg capsules at night, taken or split open & rubbed on body. Between toes, under eyes, on wrists. Slather it on. GUYS THIS IS NOT A FEMALE HORMONE. It is something everyone needs. Dont get the stuff that says yams on it. Your body cannot take yams & make it into progesterone. A lab takes the yams (or soy) & makes it into progesterone that is identical to what your body makes. It is called Diosegen & should read USP progesterone. I have done this several days in a row & it has helped when I ran out of ambien & before the tempazepam was prescribed. After a few days though I began to feel kind of flat & groggy. BUT I got some sleep.

Hydroxyzine. A form of benadryl an antihistimine. Fair to good for a few days. But for some backfire & make you really nervous & heart race.

People that r sleep deprived r so beat up, anxious, sad & hurt it is hard to slow down & try & be patient with trying anything. We feel so angry if we take something & an hour later we r still awake. & two hours & four & six & …...!!!!! Bedtime & the bed r a place of fearsome torture, tears & sadness. We have long since forgotten what it felt like to drift off naturally & sweetly. Oh the precious gift of sleep.

For the critics of prescription meds, do you think years of sleep deprivation is natural? You deserve better, so do those around you, give it a try.If you fear addiction or intolerance speak frankly to your doctor. If you were seriously injured in a car accident would you avoid the emergency room because it was not natural? What about a mother who will die without a cesarean procedure?

After 6 weeks ROTATING different stuff & ACTUALLY PUTTING MYSELF IN BED BETWEEN 9 & 10, I don't have that perfect sweet feeling yet....BUT I have had glimmers of it & SLEEP!!!! Some of this, some of that It may not be perfect but I think I am getting in a few nights of enough!! & to the best of my knowledge I am avoiding addiction & tolerance.
Jun 30, 2015
 no one understand NEW
by: lg

I can't go to the doctor becues no one in my family believes me. The say stop sleeping in the day but I can't it gets harder. At night I try everything to sleep close my eyes or count but it doesn't work
Jul 18, 2015
 WOULD LIKE TO MEET UP WITH OTHERS WHO HAVE DLSPD NEW
by: Anonymous

I also have sleep phase disorder,but not official ly diagnosed..My Dr says he believes this is what i have but since i haven't had testing done ,he unofficially diagnosed me.I sleep from 9 to 5pm but recently been doing the 6am to 2pm thing because of stress and stuff i had to take care of and had no choice..i had to be awake at least part of the day to accomlish those things..My med check dr writes me up as having severe anxieties,but the therapist i saw for 13 years says i'm bipolar and and have a sleep dirorder..actually the delayed sleep phase fits thing fits me better than the bipolar thing. i'd like to meet up with others who have the condition,as i'm a complete loner.Nobody understand my condition'nor has any tolerance for it when i explain that i'm disabled because of it ,unemployable and collect total disability. People compare it to receiving welfare and consider people in my position to be nothing but bums.They believe that the condition is a bunch of made up bs and (quote)"they make pills for that ya know"(end quote)..I'm an Introvert and and i believe that the condition is probably the main reason for it.I don't fair well(or fare well?) hanging around extroverts. I'd like to meet others or at least one other person with this condition.I hate going places at night by myself and really need somebody to hang out with.i've never met(that i know of)anyone else with this condition.I live in the DFW area(Texas)and would love to meet up with at least one other person who has this condition..in fcat, it might befun to to start a small group of us dspd'ers and hang out all hours.nothing more fun than hanging out at Denny's and browing Walmart at 2and 3am.at least email me.Email me at junkmail@gmx.tw i'll reply withing 12 hours from the time it's sent.
Nov 24, 2015
 ABOVE COMMENT WAS BY ME ALSO NEW
by: ricky agnew

The above comment was published by me a few months back..I'm still having problems finding friends to hang with..I'm , totally into music because of having 24/7 to do so in the past several years.been into music since very young and continued my interest and threw myself into it more once i began collecting disability in 1980.I became an MTV finatic in 1981.love music videos.my lifestyle is totally different than the person who works and has a normal sleep ,wake lifestyle.I live day by day watching movies,listening to music,watching music videos,just being much like a teenager i guess,even though i'm a grown man.society doesn't understand that aspect of my lifestyle at all.it causes problems big time.i have no choice.People don't understand the lifestyle of somebody who sleeps days ,is awake all night,is also unemployed,hangs out all the time(their attitude is i lollygag around and don't work ( that part is true,)that i'm a bum,that i'm a burden on society because i collect total disability ( they believe i'm taking that money somehow from their pockets).if anyone is finding that this sleep condition is disabling their lifestyle and causing them lonliness,please email me-junkmail@gmx.tw it's a real address.. I keep that email address specifically for people that might reply to my comments regarding this condition that's junkmail@gmx.tw
Dec 01, 2015
 Huh, I thought I was just doing something wrong. NEW
by: Anonymous

I'm 26 about to have a birthday. I've always struggled with an unordinary sleep pattern since the eigth grade. I would make the bus by only having seconds to get ready or miss it hours later while I am still sawing logs. There was only a couple times in my life I had this under control. One time I had summer school, my mom was a bartender, my mom wasn't gonna give me rides to school she said. Can't blame her. But I actually got my disorder under control enough to wake up at dawn ride my bike 14miles one way to the bus. I don't know how, I guess the fear of not graduating with my class. Another time was senior year. I had a girlfriend (chased her since 8th grade) that I was in love with and I would wake up crack of dawn get ready but not for school. I would sneak in her house to her room and we would have sex almost every day before school or work. After we split up, this was shortly after graduation, my sleep disorder came back. I did like to party, I was depressed of losing my first love, I just wanted to get buzzed to SLEEP!(I had a problem before the break up) This continued most my life I didn't go to college wanted to continue making $$. Well my problem affected my job I eventually lost it this was around December 2008. I lived in bumfuk Egypt of upstate NY, weather sucks and jobs were tight. I moved to central Va where my dad is and things looked up. Got a job in two weeks and seemed to get my habit under control almost thought I had it beat but didn't last. Eventually it took back over and thankfully my job like my work ethics so much they just switched me to night shift 3p to 11p. Which helped but my condition is worse than its ever been. I lay in bed with my significant other and I just toss n turn for hours or get up and leave either to get a buzz or whatever to put me to SLEEP... I have an almost two year old son and I feel like I'm affecting him because I am falling asleep when I'm watching him in the mornings. I should be up playing with him but Im exhausted. He screams to keep me awake and I have lashed out on him for it which that's horrible on my part but I feel like my son is going to have learning disorder or attention disorder because the TV is becoming his babysitter... I'm going to see a doctor about this but I hope it's a simple test because I don't have the $$$ for some of the sleep tests I've heard about. I thank this page I thought what I've been ridiculed for all these years it was just me but now I know I'm not alone.
Jan 25, 2016
 Is this NON-24? NEW
by: Catpower

I know it's primarily a problem for the blind, which thank God I am not. So I was glad (?) to read that I'm not alone, being a sighted person with this (what started out to be) a kind of cool way to get things done at night with no one around to pester me except our pets (a golden retriever - my husband's - and 2 cats - mine). However it morphed into a situation where the hours between 1am and 5am now FLY by, and I hate going to bed when the sun is rising or already up.

In truth I had 2 elderly cats die last year which ripped me apart. My husband is NOT cuddly like they were. I got a new kitten, but she is not as affectionate as the older cats were. So this also started as a way to spend time with her, and hopefully create a bond. It is sort of working but OMG I REALLY MISS MY CATS, who were ALWAYS with me, I am so lonely and I actually think my husband prefers my sleeping until 5 or 6pm because he can watch football etc and not be bothered. Do you watch Downton Abbey? The scene where Mr. Carson is packing up his room and I said to my husband "He looks so sad, I don't think he wants to give up his solitary life!" which is exactly what my husband did when we married. I could go on and on AND I had my blood tested and sure enough, my vitamin D was way low, ferritin also, and TSH was also near the high limit but my dr. just said take Slow FE, vitamin D, and FOLLOW-UP IN A YEAR. IN A YEAR??? Please if anyone is going through this PLEASE PLEASE respond. I am a 59 year old female, post menopausal since a hysterectomy at age 52. THANK YOU!!!!
Sep 24, 2016
 there is nothing wrong with you NEW
by: sam

after reading almost every comment from everyone i decided i should add my own 5 cents...one thing that stood out in most comments was frustration sadness and pity and anxiety...the reason why i decided to write my comment is because i can relate to almost all of you...let me tell you that you are all brave and so strong, intelligent and full of character!!..its ok to have the so called sleeping disorder or sleeping at odd times, saying that, what is the right time to sleep? who are the others to judge that we are lazy?..as far as im concerned everyone can go and shove it!..we are fighters, strong, and opportunists 24hrs around the clock therefore we can sleep whenever we want and wake up whenever we want...dont be so hard on yourselves...THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH YOU!!..its completely normal and wise to change something about yourself you dont like...just accept things the way they are and if you feel like a change, do it..do not listen to others critism, opinions..they are no better..listen to your self and keep going!..
Dec 22, 2016
 Insomnia? Help? NEW
by: Hayley

I am 17, will be 18 in January. Started my first yr of college last semester. Not sure if I have insomnia or what but every night for the past 2 weeks, I've been up all night. I wake up at 2:00pm and don't go back to sleep until 7-9am the following day. I wake up around 1pm, lay in bed for an hour and then get up. My roommates haven't questioned me yet but when/if they do, I won't know what to say. It is currently 6:27am. Help?
Mar 20, 2017
 mindfulness NEW
by: Anonymous

Cognitive Behaviour therapy and mindfulness can help. getting ones anxiety levels down and stopping any phone or computer or tv and hour before bed and relaxing with a relaxing track and or gentle relaxation like yoga to a mindfulness track. Its a gradual process but eventually gradually you can get to regular 10:30pm to 6am sleep. Learning to let the thoughts pass by people like suzy Orbach John Kabbat Zinn Russ harris and David morawicz have good books relaxation CD's (Mp3s) and Sleep Better without drugs especially the relaxation track and also progressive muscle relaxation are found to be very helpful.
But its an ongoing thing and becomes a part of ones life (which is really good as its like doing mediation or light exercise) only with mindfulness built in good luck
Nov 09, 2017
 this stuff is weird NEW
by: Simon

I sleep half day, exhausted all day long. everything aces all day. At night i feel fine and awake. I can't help but wonder what the sun is doing to me, i mean light from the sun in general. Eating daytime is a nightmare, eating at night works fine. makes no sense to me.
Jul 20, 2018
 How I Deal with DSPS NEW
by: Julia

Many of these comments are so old so maybe this site is not visited much anymore, but hopefully someone can be helped by my experiences.

I have delayed phase sleep disorder. My usual sleep hours are 3 or 4am to 11 or 12 noon. I've had this literally my whole life and it has ruined a lot of school and jobs. When I was very young I used to have to set 5 of the loudest alarm clocks my parents could find and I would still wake up in the morning with my mother shaking me and pulling me out of bed by my hands. I would often fall asleep in the shower - I would get too tired to stand, sit down and fall asleep. So my poor mother had to monitor me in the morning every day! I would be exhausted all day but after I got home I would have to stay up until dinner time and after that I would gain more and more energy until I was finally at peak energy by 11pm. My parents never took me to see a specialist about this as for some reason, they believed I was doing it on purpose.

Throughout my life I would lose jobs for over-sleeping. Since I didn't have a car and there was little public transportation where i lived, I eventually worked out a system where I would go to sleep the minute I got home from work and would toss and turn until the early light when I could finally get up and get ready for work. I had zero social life because I couldn't miss the sleep opportunity. On the weekends I slept from around 4-12 noon. I would tell doctors about this when I went for checkups, but they basically said that young people always burned the candle at both ends, or some useless platitude like that. Everyone else thought I was just lazy. They thought that I slept all the time, not just at different times than they did.

Anyway....flash forward many, many years. Doctors have still not been any help to me, aside from the ones who have written books about sleep disorders. Those have been invaluable. One I have found particularly useful is "Chronotherapy: Resetting your inner clock to boost mood, alertness and quality sleep" by Michael Terman and Ian McMahan.

What has helped me:

1. Going to an endocrinologist. I found that I was hypothyroid and was prescribed natural thyroid hormone. I was also very low in progesterone, which helps your body sleep. I found that my body was making melatonin at atypical times - mine was concentrated at about 2am. I took a 24-hour cortisol test and found that my cortisol level was low in the morning and high at night. Hormonal balance is KEY to sleeping well! See a good endocrinologist.

2. Using light therapy in the morning with a 10,ooo lumen light box for 1 hour. Nothing less than that did much for me. I do this as soon as i wake up, at the same time every day.

3. Blocking blue light after 9 or 10pm. This was really key. People with sleep disorders are often over-sensitive to blue light. I use Northland Outpost Eyewear, which I got on Amazon. They are one of the highest rated brands for blocking maximum blue light and they're inexpensive. I actually put these on and start feeling a little sleepy within the hour.

4. I use a blue light screen filter on my computer. There are many good ones available and are easy to install. Mine is Eyes PC.

5. I take holy basil (to reduce night time cortisol level), magnesium citrate (which also reduces cortisol and helps muscles relax), 3 mg. melatonin (to help me go to sleep initially) and 1000 mg. L-Tryptophan (to keep me asleep - otherwise I will wake up every hour or so which is really annoying). This is just what works for ME. It may not work for you. Most people don't take melatonin and L-Tryptophan together. I do it because after much trial and error, this is the combination that works.

6. If you can, get a sleep study done. This will tell you everything you need to know about how you're sleeping and why you're not. I haven't taken this step yet, as apparently most tests in my area aren't covered by insurance and cost anywhere from $2,000 - $6,000! But if you're lucky enough to have an insured or inexpensive sleep center in your midst, go for it.

I wish everyone luck with this very frustrating condition!
Jul 20, 2018
 How I Deal with DSPS NEW
by: Julia

Many of these comments are so old so maybe this site is not visited much anymore, but hopefully someone can be helped by my experiences.

I have delayed phase sleep disorder. My usual sleep hours are 3 or 4am to 11 or 12 noon. I've had this literally my whole life and it has ruined a lot of school and jobs. When I was very young I used to have to set 5 of the loudest alarm clocks my parents could find and I would still wake up in the morning with my mother shaking me and pulling me out of bed by my hands. I would often fall asleep in the shower - I would get too tired to stand, sit down and fall asleep. So my poor mother had to monitor me in the morning every day! I would be exhausted all day but after I got home I would have to stay up until dinner time and after that I would gain more and more energy until I was finally at peak energy by 11pm. My parents never took me to see a specialist about this as for some reason, they believed I was doing it on purpose.

Throughout my life I would lose jobs for over-sleeping. Since I didn't have a car and there was little public transportation where i lived, I eventually worked out a system where I would go to sleep the minute I got home from work and would toss and turn until the early light when I could finally get up and get ready for work. I had zero social life because I couldn't miss the sleep opportunity. On the weekends I slept from around 4-12 noon. I would tell doctors about this when I went for checkups, but they basically said that young people always burned the candle at both ends, or some useless platitude like that. Everyone else thought I was just lazy. They thought that I slept all the time, not just at different times than they did.

Anyway....flash forward many, many years. Doctors have still not been any help to me, aside from the ones who have written books about sleep disorders. Those have been invaluable. One I have found particularly useful is "Chronotherapy: Resetting your inner clock to boost mood, alertness and quality sleep" by Michael Terman and Ian McMahan.

What has helped me:

1. Going to an endocrinologist. I found that I was hypothyroid and was prescribed natural thyroid hormone. I was also very low in progesterone, which helps your body sleep. I found that my body was making melatonin at atypical times - mine was concentrated at about 2am. I took a 24-hour cortisol test and found that my cortisol level was low in the morning and high at night. Hormonal balance is KEY to sleeping well! See a good endocrinologist.

2. Using light therapy in the morning with a 10,ooo lumen light box for 1 hour. Nothing less than that did much for me. I do this as soon as i wake up, at the same time every day.

3. Blocking blue light after 9 or 10pm. This was really key. People with sleep disorders are often over-sensitive to blue light. I use Northland Outpost Eyewear, which I got on Amazon. They are one of the highest rated brands for blocking maximum blue light and they're inexpensive. I actually put these on and start feeling a little sleepy within the hour.

4. I use a blue light screen filter on my computer. There are many good ones available and are easy to install. Mine is Eyes PC.

5. I take holy basil (to reduce night time cortisol level), magnesium citrate (which also reduces cortisol and helps muscles relax), 3 mg. melatonin (to help me go to sleep initially) and 1000 mg. L-Tryptophan (to keep me asleep - otherwise I will wake up every hour or so which is really annoying). This is just what works for ME. It may not work for you. Most people don't take melatonin and L-Tryptophan together. I do it because after much trial and error, this is the combination that works.

6. If you can, get a sleep study done. This will tell you everything you need to know about how you're sleeping and why you're not. I haven't taken this step yet, as apparently most tests in my area aren't covered by insurance and cost anywhere from $2,000 - $6,000! But if you're lucky enough to have an insured or inexpensive sleep center in your midst, go for it.

I wish everyone luck with this very frustrating condition!
Aug 14, 2018
 Not Alone! NEW
by: Appleblossom

Since the menopause my sleeping pattern has reversed just like you. I also have severe ME 25 years.

For the first time in many years last summer my sleeping pattern suddenly reversed and I was able to get some sleep every night. It last exactly 5 months then SUDDENLY switched back. So it goes on getting up 7pm. Feeling very ill and exhausted by midnight, then a rotten night restless but exhausted unable to sleep. Sometimes I have to wait till 10am or midday even before I go to sleep. Then its sleeping, waking, feeling wretchedly ill, headachy, nausea till 7pm. Very very depressing. This is an illness.We have to remember that and not blame ourselves. If only people would sit and listen and keep their mouths shut and their minds open they might learn and understand. People too quick to give their opinions without fully listening, asking questions and demonstrating a desire to learn and understand. Sleep deprivation has led me daily to think of suicide. So sick of feeling ill all the time. But I have decided to live. I have prayed to God and asked Him to help me keep a sound balanced perspective of this problem and to keep motivated to keep going. I find it hard to smile. It does not happen instintively now. It is a strain to smile. It is difficult because a sincere smile has to come from the inside. Inside I am despairing, without hope, but perservering and very sad very sad at feeling so wretched and ill every day for 25 years. Life is one long daily struggle to keep optimistic. I count my blessings every day and remember that I have a lot to be grateful for. I have a roof over my head, a bed, food, water, heating, a garden, so really I have nothing to complain about. But I just feel so very sad :(

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