Delayed Sleep Phase Syndrome
Discussion
Just had a 'Eureka! 'moment'.
All my life I've struggled to get to sleep and wake up at 'normal' times.
Just discovered that DSPS is a recognised (albeit rare) chronic 'disability'.
Basically, my body-clock is 4 hours out (I go to bed around 4.00am and wake around mid-day).
No sleeping pills or enforced adjustment (skipping a night's sleep, for example - to try and re-set my clock) make any difference.
Over the years it has affected my working life and relationships.
It's good to finally realise that it's not my fault (I'm aware that my difficulties getting up in the morning are perceived by some as laziness).
On the other hand it's disappointing to find that there is no effective cure, and that it is best dealt with by adjusting one's lifestyle around it.
Anybody else suffer, or know someone who suffers, from this?
All my life I've struggled to get to sleep and wake up at 'normal' times.
Just discovered that DSPS is a recognised (albeit rare) chronic 'disability'.
Basically, my body-clock is 4 hours out (I go to bed around 4.00am and wake around mid-day).
No sleeping pills or enforced adjustment (skipping a night's sleep, for example - to try and re-set my clock) make any difference.
Over the years it has affected my working life and relationships.
It's good to finally realise that it's not my fault (I'm aware that my difficulties getting up in the morning are perceived by some as laziness).
On the other hand it's disappointing to find that there is no effective cure, and that it is best dealt with by adjusting one's lifestyle around it.
Anybody else suffer, or know someone who suffers, from this?
Rabbitinthenight said:
I have similar, can't sleep till at least 4-5 or even six am but only sleep for 2-3 or 4 hours. How did you find this out?
I was 'Googling' sleep disorders and found this:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delayed_sleep_phase_s...
forsure said:
goldblum said:
The Seychelles is 4 hrs ahead.Do you scuba dive?
I recently spent a week in New England and had no problems - I'm in their time zone!I work mostly until 11 at night so don't sleep 'til 3ish.Even that has caused huge problems over the years.
Edited by goldblum on Saturday 4th September 11:21
goldblum said:
forsure said:
goldblum said:
The Seychelles is 4 hrs ahead.Do you scuba dive?
I recently spent a week in New England and had no problems - I'm in their time zone!I work mostly until 11 at night so don't sleep 'til 3ish.Even that has caused huge problems over the years.
Edited by goldblum on Saturday 4th September 11:21
forsure said:
Just had a 'Eureka! 'moment'.
All my life I've struggled to get to sleep and wake up at 'normal' times.
Just discovered that DSPS is a recognised (albeit rare) chronic 'disability'.
Basically, my body-clock is 4 hours out (I go to bed around 4.00am and wake around mid-day).
No sleeping pills or enforced adjustment (skipping a night's sleep, for example - to try and re-set my clock) make any difference.
Over the years it has affected my working life and relationships.
It's good to finally realise that it's not my fault (I'm aware that my difficulties getting up in the morning are perceived by some as laziness).
On the other hand it's disappointing to find that there is no effective cure, and that it is best dealt with by adjusting one's lifestyle around it.
Anybody else suffer, or know someone who suffers, from this?
Have you tried malatonin?All my life I've struggled to get to sleep and wake up at 'normal' times.
Just discovered that DSPS is a recognised (albeit rare) chronic 'disability'.
Basically, my body-clock is 4 hours out (I go to bed around 4.00am and wake around mid-day).
No sleeping pills or enforced adjustment (skipping a night's sleep, for example - to try and re-set my clock) make any difference.
Over the years it has affected my working life and relationships.
It's good to finally realise that it's not my fault (I'm aware that my difficulties getting up in the morning are perceived by some as laziness).
On the other hand it's disappointing to find that there is no effective cure, and that it is best dealt with by adjusting one's lifestyle around it.
Anybody else suffer, or know someone who suffers, from this?
It's a naturally occurring hormone and good for sorting out circadian ryhthms (which is what you need by the sounds of it).
It can be difficult to get it prescribed in the UK unless you're over 55 IIRC, but it's available OTC in most other countries and you can buy it online as a supplement.
Worth noting though that the dosages commonly available (2mg+) are high and the original trials found much lower doses (0.5mg) effective. You might find that higher doses are actually counter-productive and that chopping tablets into smaller doses is more beneficial. Also worth noting that there are standard and modified release veersions out there which behave differently.
The idea is to take a dose of melatonin an hour before you want to go to sleep amd they should stimulate sleep for the desired period between your preferred hours. They won't put you to sleep per-se but they will aid sleep by enhancing the feeling of sleepiness in your brain.
Then after 21 nights you stop and hopefully find that your brain has been re-trained to let you sleep when you should.
Manks
Thanks Manks 
I have tried melatonin - I bought some at Singapore Airport - but that was years ago when I had less understanding of the problem. I can't remember what the dosage was, but it didn't have any noticeable effect.
Your input is interesting and helpful, I'll have a chat with my doctor.
I have tried melatonin - I bought some at Singapore Airport - but that was years ago when I had less understanding of the problem. I can't remember what the dosage was, but it didn't have any noticeable effect.
Your input is interesting and helpful, I'll have a chat with my doctor.
forsure said:
Thanks Manks
I have tried melatonin - I bought some at Singapore Airport - but that was years ago when I had less understanding of the problem. I can't remember what the dosage was, but it didn't have any noticeable effect.
Your input is interesting and helpful, I'll have a chat with my doctor.
No problem.I have tried melatonin - I bought some at Singapore Airport - but that was years ago when I had less understanding of the problem. I can't remember what the dosage was, but it didn't have any noticeable effect.
Your input is interesting and helpful, I'll have a chat with my doctor.
If you get some, remember that less can be more. Even if the doc says take 2mg you may find that 0.5-1.00 mg is more effective.
Driller said:
forsure said:
Driller said:
What do you do in the way of exercise?
Nothing very energetic, but quite a lot of walking.A sudden regime of daily vigourous exercise would probaby not be a good idea at my age (56).
I once did a job (meter reading) that involved walking several miles a day (briskly) -it was 'tiring', but it didn't change my sleep pattern.
A recent canal holiday involved a lot of physical effort (30+ locks, some days), again tiring - but I still stayed awake til very late.
I have similar, a couple of years ago I decided to take on a night job to try help, just meant I had even less of a life than I did before.
Back to doing a 'day' job now and it was straight back to how it used to be, no sleep until 3-4 am.
If it helps, I'm 25 and have an office based job, but do exercise/gym.
Back to doing a 'day' job now and it was straight back to how it used to be, no sleep until 3-4 am.
If it helps, I'm 25 and have an office based job, but do exercise/gym.
The Riddler said:
I have similar, a couple of years ago I decided to take on a night job to try help, just meant I had even less of a life than I did before.
Back to doing a 'day' job now and it was straight back to how it used to be, no sleep until 3-4 am.
If it helps, I'm 25 and have an office based job, but do exercise/gym.
Interesting, I sympathise; I did shift work too, lots of 'lates' and some nights. Social side was ok because it was a big office with lots of others on the same hours and days off. Unfortunately the company relocated and we were made redundant.Back to doing a 'day' job now and it was straight back to how it used to be, no sleep until 3-4 am.
If it helps, I'm 25 and have an office based job, but do exercise/gym.
Then did a job with conventional hours; it was a great job, but I never got enough sleep during the week.
As a consequence every weekend was f
ked-up, because I'd go to bed very late on Friday and 'catch-up' with all the lost hours - surfacing some time late on Saturday afternoon.I'm afraid I've resigned myself to it and work around my crazy antisocial sleeping patterns. I always have a problem when I go to visit my parents though, as their bedtime is around 10pm - just when I'm starting to come to life. I wouldn't mind if they left me alone to deal with it, but they insist on trying various cures such as light therapy (SAD lamps etc) to re-adjust my body clock, which works to a point, then makes me feel even worse long-term. If I had the answer, I wouldn't be on this thread now!
Tow Vehicle Rqrd said:
I'm afraid I've resigned myself to it and work around my crazy antisocial sleeping patterns. I always have a problem when I go to visit my parents though, as their bedtime is around 10pm - just when I'm starting to come to life. I wouldn't mind if they left me alone to deal with it, but they insist on trying various cures such as light therapy (SAD lamps etc) to re-adjust my body clock, which works to a point, then makes me feel even worse long-term. If I had the answer, I wouldn't be on this thread now!
Fascinating, that's three of us now.I've been fighting it for years, thinking ok I need 8 hrs sleep in a 24hr cycle - surely it's possible to adjust to the 'normal' pattern.
Turns out it isn't.
And, of course, we don't get any sympathy. Try telling someone you can't make a morning appointment because you sleep til noon.
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