Delayed Sleep Phase Syndrome

[ppga85]

Hi everyone, I was wondering if anyone has DSPS. I try not to say "suffer from" because I think society (and psychology) labels anything against the norms as a disease. I am not working now and probably won't for a while (I'm on permanent disability for serious health problems), so I don't have a problem with work interference right now. I did work for a couple months in the summer as a live-in home health aide and had major issues falling asleep and waking up early. I also tried working a 9 am-6pm job around this time last year and lasted about 9 days. I attend an online college because I can't expect myself to wake up at the crack of dawn (to take the train and busses to school) and sit through classes during the day. I do have a great deal of doctors appointments and tests during the day and though I try my best to make them after 2 pm, sometimes it's nearly impossible or I would have to wait longer for a follow-up appt.

I currently go to sleep between 6-7:30 am and usually wake up around 12-1 pm, sometimes a little earlier or later. There are also days when I don't go to sleep at all. This happens mostly when I have to be up early and stay up all day. At those times I crash around 11 pm to 1:30 am the next night or two later. There are occasions when I'll stay up past 7 am and watch morning shows until Noon or later. Usually when that happens, I nap for a while in the afternoon and sleep a couple hours at night, wake up around 2 am at the latest and go back to my normal sleep times. I used to fall asleep around 3-4 am when I was on Lunesta, but my insurance doesn't cover any sedative-hypnotics after 6 months. I've also tried everything known to creation as far as sleep medicines go. I am on strong medications that at my dose would make most anyone else go into a coma for days. They either don't work at all or make my sleep more erratic. I just want to go to sleep a few hours earlier so I can be up early if I have to without staying up over 48 hours after. Any suggestions or can anyone relate? I have another sleep study on Jan. 31st and I'll see what they reccommend, but I value help from others with the same condition. Help from experts in the forum is welcome too.

[Dr Rajput]

Hi, your history suggests that you have milder form of sleep disorder hence we cannot put you into particular medical condition. There is a delayed onset of sleep and due to committed work, success, stress, unusual happenings make you anxious and it will keep you awake and will lead to delayed onset of sleep.

Once you sleep, your sleep architecture seems to be fine i.e. stages of sleep. You do not need any major therapeutic interventions for your condition. This is common when there is a disturbance in normal sleep pattern.

The therapy for this condition includes retaining of normal circadian rhythm by non-pharmacological therapy which includes; Photo therapy, maintenance of sleep hygiene. You need to go for morning exercises and work out which will make you fresh and active all day and tiredness at the end of day will help you to induce sleep naturally.

Pharmacological therapy includes short course of melatonin against prescription to retain normal circadian rhythm. Non-benzodiazepines are effective in delayed onset sleep disorder and help to initiate the sleep.

I suggest you to consult physician. Take care and regards.

[MercedesAnn]

I know this is a little late.. but if you still view it by any chance.. your symptoms mirror mine perfectly. Did you find a solution?

[KennedyMaree]

Hi, I have DSPS, but I get a lot more sleep per night than you (8-9 hours usually). I'm currently sleeping somewhere between 3am and 5am, and waking somewhere between 10 am and midday.

While I'm all to sticking it to the man about labeling things as disorders/diseases/whatever, in this case it's something which is evolutionarily unusual (why would we need to be awake when it's dark?) and interferes greatly with a person's functioning in society. At least until society catches up and becomes truly 24 hour, DSPS is a problem, and trying to wake up at the same time as everybody else definitely counts as "suffering" in my books. :p