Any other chronic night owls or DSPS sufferers? I need someone to talk to

[itsmytime]

Is there any one else who has chronic sleep issues such as insomnia or DSPS? DSPS is delayed sleep phase disorder and is a circadian rhythm disorder. Basically, you can't fall asleep at normal times such as 9 10 or 11 pm. Most people with DSPS fall asleep between 3 am and about probably 8 am and then sleep during the day about 8 hours just like a regular person. More people have it than one might think. 3 in 2000 people have it according to stats. So there are millions of people who have it in the world. Many people won't admit it and they call it a "silent epidemic" Insomnia can be similar in that you can't fall asleep at night. Anyway, I have had DSPS for 10 years. I am just looking for anyone else out there who has similar sleep issues. Someone I can talk to. There is a group on Facebook for DSPS sufferers but it's not the best place for support. Just reaching out. Anyone who struggles to sleep at night, stays up all night despite trying for years and years to sleep normal, or anything like that can relate out there please talk to me. Thanks!

[becca72]

I have a sleep disorder as a result of working rotating shifts...I hardly ever sleep anymore unless I take something to make me fall asleep, not the same, I know, but I certainly feel your pain

[tori712]

I have had this for years sleep meds do nothing, I go to sleep around 7 or 8 am, and sleep till 4, if I get my schedule back to normal and go to bed at 10, it only last a few days and I go right back to staying up all night I've stayed up over 24 hours to reset my schedule and I still won't be tired, I will stay up again until 8 am, because even if I am tired I can not pass out,.. I haven't went to bed yet and its 8 am, woke up at 3 yesterday and I'm not even tired.. and i went to sleep at 10 am yesterday...

I am here.. always will be..

[Her Moojesty]

I swear by Melatonin. It really can have a significant impact on DSPS and/or insomnia sufferers. It is available over the counter, and relatively cheap, and its also perfectly natural. The body makes its own Melatonin, it just decreases as we mature. Babies sleep like babies because they have high levels of it. Before anyone sneers, please just give it a try. The SECRET to the success of Melatonin, is that you have to take it EVERY single night. You have to build up the level in your body and then sustain it, otherwise it won't work properly. I take 10 mg. every night, and it has helped my sleep pattern significantly. If you are new to the product, try taking less, like 3mg or 5 mg at night. It worked for me and a handful of others that I know. If in doubt, ask your pharmacist about it. Hope it helps, it's awful to have this disorder.
Her Moojesty

[itsmytime]

I have had this for years sleep meds do nothing, I go to sleep around 7 or 8 am, and sleep till 4, if I get my schedule back to normal and go to bed at 10, it only last a few days and I go right back to staying up all night I've stayed up over 24 hours to reset my schedule and I still won't be tired, I will stay up again until 8 am, because even if I am tired I can not pass out,.. I haven't went to bed yet and its 8 am, woke up at 3 yesterday and I'm not even tired.. and i went to sleep at 10 am yesterday...

I am here.. always will be..

I am exactly the same. I have only met a few other people on the DSPS facebook site that are just like that. I have tried sleeping pills, prescriptions, melatonin and etc and all it does it make me groggy and tired but not able to sleep. It actually makes me feel worse to take sleep medications. That is just how my sleep pattern is. It is very frustrating. I am lucky my kids are in school, otherwise, I would have a hell of a time taking care of my kids. It is totally frustrating. It makes being social difficult. When I am alert and at my best, it's in the middle of the night. It is an isolating way to live. I feel bad that you share the same problem but I feel a little better knowing there are people like me out there. It is so hard to explain it to people that simply think I stay up all night on purpose like I'm lazy. I tried to sleep normal for about 8 years but after staring at the ceiling for 5-6 hours at night praying for sleep and trying every sleep medicine out there, I just gave up. I now sleep when my body is ready and I feel good that way. I have to work freelance but that's the only way I can make any money with my sleep issues. I am also taking classes online so I can do them when I am awake. It sucks to sleep like this but we just have to make the best of it. I usually have a good attitude but there are times in the morning I wish I could just get up and go and do the things everyone else does, but instead I have to sleep.

[TrailNurse]

I take 10 mg of Melatonin and 10 mg of Restoril just to go to sleep every night. If I didn't take the meds I simply would not go to sleep. My mother and grandmother were the same way and so are both of my kids. I can wake right up at 3:00 AM (light sleeper) and go in the kitchen for a snack and there they are wide awake. It sucks, but grocery shopping is much better at midnight....no crowds.

[tori712]

I take 3 20mg of restoril and I barely sleep with that..
1 20 mg did NOTHING for me,
tried Lunesta had to take about 5 3mg ones, I know its bad to take that many, but 1 or 2 or 3 just did nothing, so since I am no prescribed that many restoril, i only take 3 if there is a reason i need to be up early and not sleep all day like i normally do..

[TrailNurse]

I take 3 20mg of restoril and I barely sleep with that..
1 20 mg did NOTHING for me,
tried Lunesta had to take about 5 3mg ones, I know its bad to take that many, but 1 or 2 or 3 just did nothing, so since I am no prescribed that many restoril, i only take 3 if there is a reason i need to be up early and not sleep all day like i normally do..

That's pretty bad. Do you sleep okay during the day? If so, that may just have to be your normal schedule. Nothing wrong with that.

[Symplee37]

Well well well, this is my first time hearing about DSPS, but trust I will be researching it further today. I've been calling my problem insomnia, but what you and Tori are describing sounds like me. At one point I couldn't fall asleep before 6am regardless if i was tired or not. I now can for the most part fall asleep between 3 n 4am, but I do notice that I'm not rested when I wake up and usually will need a nap at some point late afternoon early evening which I figured was my downfall, I try to resist falling asleep at those times, but often Im not successful. I have been taking trazadone off and on for a couple years now, when I first started them they worked great, I could fall asleep but couldn't stay asleep, now I can't fall asleep no matter what, I have to be literally exhausted to sleep at night, usually happens after a few days of barely getting rest because I have to be up and about running errands during the day when I'm usually sleeping, on days like that I usually pass out between 8 and 10pm and will sleep til the next late morning, but u would think oh I should be great for getting on schedule now, but nope either I'm dog tired in the evening like I never slept all night, or Im just not tired at all that night and won't fall asleep til my normal time 3-4am. My doctor doesn't want to give me anything stronger than the trazadone and I'm up to 100mg after starting with 50mg 2 years ago. So with that said, I am a night owl and feel free to touch base with me when ever u like, I'll be up just like you, lol

[melaniek]

I have been a "night owl" my entire life. Even as a kid I remember being up til 3 or 4 am and sleeping an hour or so them going to school. I'd nap after school for an hour or so and be up all night again. I am working from home for Amazon.com right now and work at 1pm. I get off at 10 pm so I'm still up til 4 or 5 am. It's so hard for me to fall asleep at a decent hour. The doc has me on Trazadone but it gives me horrible dry mouth so I don't take it all the time. I think our circadian rhythms just want to be vampires lol

I have researched DSPS and know that's what I have but I haven't been able to successfully change my sleep habits long term. I tried to do
The half hour getting to sleep earlier and waking up earlier but that failed. I stayed up so many times for over 24 hours to get tired to fall asleep at 10 or 11 pm but after a day or 2 I'm right back to being a night owl. Let me know if you ever find a "cure" lol