Delayed Sleep Phase Syndrome?

[ms_manic_minxx]

DSPS... Does anyone here have this problem... where the body clock is normal, just programmed to do things about four hours LATER than the rest of the world--in other words, you're just built to sleep after 4am?

I've been experimenting (...um) with melatonin. Has anyone tried the Seasonal Affective Disorder lightboxes? I generally try to go and get some sun as soon as I wake up... if it isn't raining, OR, if I haven't slept so late that the sun is already around the house and there's really nowhere to go. >.O

I've basically been this way my whole life... getting to sleep by 2 feels much better than getting to sleep by 3... these days it feels like I just want to be up until 5am... Morning classes in school were a nightmare, and if I'm woken too early, sometimes I feel sick/nauseous.

My lifestyle is generally pretty supportive, so I don't normally suffer (working nights at restaurants), but it's frustrating because I've been trying to correct it (even a steady 2am-10am would be GREAT!!!) with little help. Melatonin seems promising... but it will take time to tell... and, apparently, if you screw up getting to bed at the exact same time every day for just one day, there's a chance sleep phase will delay and you have to start all over again. ~.~

One of the results I've been hoping to see with regular work with Aya and a fruitarian diet is a decreased NEED for sleep, but I still need a solid eight hours. I've been fantasizing, if I'm doomed to stay up late anyway, even needing only six hours to wake up feeling refreshed and ready to go would be miraculous... but... that hasn't happened yet, much to my chagrin. Jace Callaway's pinoline studies point to a decreased need for sleep... but after TWO AND A HALF YEARS, I have yet to see those results. :x

Any thoughts? Thank you.

 

[Virola78]

This is because of the summer? When it is hot i dont want to go to sleep early. By the time the world around me cools down i start to feel alive. When i should go to bed :?

I need 8 hours too. Better 9. Makes me look all fresh and fruity 8)

 

[endlessness]

do you exercise? I feel exercising strongly during the day is a great help. Also not staying in the computer but actually trying to sleep is also important hehe. Not eating heavy at night is also a must. Maybe a chamomile or other calming tea can help too?

Good luck! and do tell us if you find something that works for you

 

[d*l*b]

I have never been able to sleep normal hours, this runs in my family it seems – my mother, uncle and grandfather have all been very late sleepers. I don’t think any of them have been quite as severe as me, but we lead quite different lifestyles.

For me I generally find myself sleeping around 4 or 5, but whenever I sleep it will take me a minimum of an hour to get there unless I am completely physically exhausted. I usually sleep somewhere in the region of 4–6 hours in a night, I enjoy sleeping more but it wastes a lot of the day as I sleep so late. At my very worst I was recently not able to sleep until 8am for a couple of weeks!

At times living these hours works quite well, but at times living like this and not being able to control it can be quite frustrating.

 

[imPsimon]

I remember watching a michiu kaku show (cant remember which) and there was some
guy and his child saying they had this disorder.
I remember thinking it's bullshit.
I can't understand how that it could be possible to have a body clock that sends
you to bed at a specific time other then what your habits dictates.

I've had periods of my life when I go to bed 10 in the morning and now
my bed time is 22.45.

I know a lot of people who suffer from sleeping problems but from all I
can tell it all lies in their diet, computer activities,
lack of other activities and so on.

Have you been diagnosed with this from a doctor or have you
seen this "symptom" somewhere and self diagnosed?
I'm having a hard time believing it's real...I'm no doctor though=)

Things to do to fall asleep easier. (can only think of two things now)

Never do anything but sleeping in your bed. If you do things like watch tv, read books or
use your computer your brain starts to activate when going to bed.
An easy way to counter act this is to turn around and sleep with your head
opposite of what you're used to.

Some people (most people?) find it harder to fall asleep after the use of
stimulants like nicotine and caffeine so if you have
those habits try and fit them into your sleeping scheme.

 

[ms_manic_minxx]

I get plenty of exercise, at least an hour of yoga everyday + cycling everywhere. Tried sleepy teas... tried not eating... I don't do stimulants, period... I've unplugged my router and covered every last blinking electronic something... Spent the past few nights going to bed extra early without any stimulation, and it's just resulted in frustrated tossing and turning...

Playing with melatonin, but it seems to hit me different ways at different doses and different times of day, so I have yet to find the sweet spot for sleeping. I tried the equivalent of .1 micrograms around 5pm once and it knocked me RIGHT OUT. That dose at night seems to do nothing, think I may need a lot more.

I've tried going to bed REALLY early a few times, like 9pm, and then I am up again around midnight and can't sleep until the next day. X.X

The ironic thing is, I'm most creative and most flexible (yoga) at night. Before I used to just embrace it and stay up absurdly late. I've been missing the good sunshine in my backyard (hum... sleeping through it), so that made me want to try and see if I could get even SOMEWHAT closer to normal... but it's just resulted in sad frustrations.

Hmmm. If I do get results, I will share here. Thanks, everyone.

It's definitely a real phenomenon... Is it a disorder? It seems to me more of a natural variance that just happens to be horribly at odds with the demands of society. (*like a lot of "disorders.") Managing a lifestyle where conforming to early hours isn't necessary is most comfortable... but it's limiting in some ways.

I've always been like this... just been trying to change it recently, and meeting huge amounts of resistance from my body. :?

 

[wade]

have you tried synthetic cannabinoids? they put me to sleep like a baby

 

[corpus callosum]

DSPS is a real but under-recognised entity; it is more of an aberration of the normal state and is rarely pathological-but that doesnt mean it isnt a nuisance.Most doctors are not aware of it but some neurologists with an interest in sleep disorders may be able to help.

Its a pain to treat but options with variable results include light therapy,sleep hygiene measures, modafanil and anecdotally vitamin B12 has been used.THC derivatives are also felt to be of use by some researchers.

There is also apparently a slightly increased frequency of affective disorders with DSPS.

 

[godling]

manic did you figure out what puts you to sleep??

also... do know what the "title" of Jace Calloway's pinoline studies... the one you mentioned in the first post about decreased need for sleep... i've been trifling through info on google but haven't turned up with the info on decreased need of sleep..

thanks much

 

[Xt]

I am glad to see someone mention this here. Soon as i hit puberty i started having sleep issues. I have had medication in the past, exercise... melatonin Valerian everything.
Turns out im Delayed Phase. When i sleep i get about 8-12 hours. I take an exceptionally long time to fall asleep and an exceptionally long time to wake up.

I dream when i don't smoke pot and seem to have a similar need and duration of sleep to everyone else, just 8 hours behind.
I find summer more comfortable and productive and in winter i tend to down regulate every physical aspect of my life.
I have seen three Doctors and none of them took me seriously, recommended exercise (i exercise like a champ) and to not play video games before bed (i dont).

Its not a problem, as long as i am working a job where i can start late and finish late.
Tho is does put pressure the relationship with my Wife.

 

[soulfood]

If I go to sleep before midnight, I wake up at around 3-4 and can't get back to sleep and will be very tired by around 2pm. When I sleep at 3-4ish I get a good 8 hours after which I can stay awake until as long as I want.

I find the easiest time to fall asleep around 8pm, but I can usually only sleep for 2-3 hours around this time and I awake feeling very disorientated.

It's all very inconvenient.

 

[Ice House]

Ever thought that maybe polyphasic sleep might be better for you?


polyphasic sleep

 

[DoingKermit]

My girlfriend has this problem and i kinda-sorta thought she was being a bit over the top by saying she was "on US time whilst being over here". I just said, "well get up earlier for a few days and you'll sleep earlier, you weirdo".... but it doesn't work like that. Even if she gets 3 hrs for a few nights, she will still find it hard to crash early afterwards. I had no idea this was an actual problem for others and neither did she.

Minxx, if you find a way to combat this dilemma please let us know. My lady would be very grateful and we might not have to resort to moving to America

 

[DMTripper]

DSPS... Does anyone here have this problem... where the body clock is normal, just programmed to do things about four hours LATER than the rest of the world--in other words, you're just built to sleep after 4am?

I've been experimenting (...um) with melatonin. Has anyone tried the Seasonal Affective Disorder lightboxes? I generally try to go and get some sun as soon as I wake up... if it isn't raining, OR, if I haven't slept so late that the sun is already around the house and there's really nowhere to go. >.O

I've basically been this way my whole life... getting to sleep by 2 feels much better than getting to sleep by 3... these days it feels like I just want to be up until 5am... Morning classes in school were a nightmare, and if I'm woken too early, sometimes I feel sick/nauseous.

My lifestyle is generally pretty supportive, so I don't normally suffer (working nights at restaurants), but it's frustrating because I've been trying to correct it (even a steady 2am-10am would be GREAT!!!) with little help. Melatonin seems promising... but it will take time to tell... and, apparently, if you screw up getting to bed at the exact same time every day for just one day, there's a chance sleep phase will delay and you have to start all over again. ~.~

One of the results I've been hoping to see with regular work with Aya and a fruitarian diet is a decreased NEED for sleep, but I still need a solid eight hours. I've been fantasizing, if I'm doomed to stay up late anyway, even needing only six hours to wake up feeling refreshed and ready to go would be miraculous... but... that hasn't happened yet, much to my chagrin. Jace Callaway's pinoline studies point to a decreased need for sleep... but after TWO AND A HALF YEARS, I have yet to see those results. :x

Any thoughts? Thank you.

Wow! I didn't know there was a name for my condition! hahaha

I could have written this post but the only difference would be that my best hours for sleep are from 6am.
If I sleep from 6am I only need 6-7 hours and I wake up very well rested and fresh. If I sleep from lets say 11pm and for 6-8 hours I wake up feeling very sick and absolutely out of energy and just not myself. Very depressed and just feel dead Mornings are HELL for me most of the times.
I've always been like this. I'm now 34 and this is even getting worse. Or I feel like I'm giving up trying to sleep like other people.

I've said for years that if I would be dumped on a deserted island without a clock, and would be observed by scientist from distance I would right away start to sleep from 5-6am and for 6-8 hours.
This sucks because you don't fit properly into society like this

My girlfriend has this problem and i kinda-sorta thought she was being a bit over the top by saying she was "on US time whilst being over here". I just said, "well get up earlier for a few days and you'll sleep earlier, you weirdo".... but it doesn't work like that. Even if she gets 3 hrs for a few nights, she will still find it hard to crash early afterwards.

So true. Even if I only sleep for 2-4 hours one night and wake up early and don't sleep any all day, I might take hours to fall a sleep the next night. I might be exhausted all day but after 9-10pm I just wake up and then I can't sleep.
But that day I could have just closed my eyes and fall a sleep sitting somewhere.