Insomnia is making me so depressed! - Sleep Disorders Message Board

jmf · 12-19-2004, 11:03 PM

Hi there. I hope someone here can relate to my problem. I don't fall asleep until 7 or 8 in the morning and then I sleep until 2 or 3 in the afternoon - sometimes until 5pm! I'm completely nocturnal and even when I get up early, I still can't fall asleep at a normal hour. I'm not working now so that's why I'm getting away with it, but it's so depressing. I feel that my internal clock is just opposite of what is normal and no matter how hard I try to change it, my body just resets itself back to a nocturnal state. I've had this issue for years. My doc wants me to do a sleep study and I'm looking into it, but the waiting list is very long. I think I might have sleep apnea too because friends have told me that I snore really loud and seem to wake myself up. I also yell and moan in my sleep (what's up with that?). When I do wake up, I don't feel rested at all and it takes me hours until I can function properly. I used to take all types of sleep meds, which worked, but now I can't because I have addiction issues. I'm at my wits end and need to get on a normal schedule. JMF

lamendez90 · 12-20-2004, 11:21 AM

hey,
I posted a similiar thing, earlier about my sleeping... no one bothered to reply so ill reply to yours.
I have a similar problem and its really, like annoying.
I usually go to sleep at around 1,2 or 3 in the morning and I have to get up for school in the morning!!!!! (7am) my mum thinks im crazy and I dunno if its cause of my age or what?!??! im confused. I havnt seen the doctor yet and im gonna have to go, when I dont have any school sometimes i cant sleep at all til bout 5 or 6 am. I hope you sort it out

jmf · 12-20-2004, 10:23 PM

Hi L, I was doing some reading on the internet and it there's somehting called delayed sleep phase syndrome. When I read it, I though " oh my god...this is what I have." I kept calling it insomnia, but the fact is I can sleep during the day and get a full 7-8 hours of sleep, however, I can't fall asleep at night when the rest of the 'nromal' world goes to bed. My inner clock is just set to a different time. I'm going to really try and do the sleep study and get help. I don't know what I would do if I had to be up at 7am. Well, I would never get up. The other day I had a job interview at 3:00 in the afternoon and I missed it because I fell asleep. How lame is that? My friends and family don't understand it either and think that all I have to do is get up early and the whole thing would be solved. Not so. I've tried it and I still stay up. I hope you're sleeping right now! JMF

braddinhle · 12-22-2004, 02:18 AM

Hi,
My first concern is that you have no stress?
My second concern is that you should not do anything that you have to concentrate your mind into it in the evening time.
An afternoon exercise might help you to fall asleep easier at nite.
Food is also important factor; rice and vegetables are good sources which might help you to get a good nite sleep. Also you should take multi vitamines in your Dinner.
Your nightime clothes are also another factor; you might choose to wear soft clothes.
Go to bed on time.
Try to watch video musics (soft type) in the evening. Turn your light down a little bit to make a sleepy environment.
If you lay down and still don't feel sleepy for a while, you should:
* Try to keep your eyes open in the dark OR
* Get up and watch TV until you feel sleepy again.
Hope my advices will work for you!
Good lucks!
Brad
Ps. Have you tried to take Melatonin before? You might try it but it only work if you don't take it frequently.

zoomdeal · 12-22-2004, 04:14 AM

Hello:

I take trazadone which is non-narcotic and not addicting.

It might work for you.

As far as the body clock, I think you should try to change your sleeping schedule in a phased approach Try going to bed an hour earlier for a week at a time until you have finally change your clock to your desired sleep schedule.

You nay have tried this already. I have a very strong body clock which I have tried to change because I wake up so early 3-4am. But one the other hand I like this time of day because it is so quiet and I get my alone time. Therefore, I don’t thing I have ever really worked on changing my schedule for prolonged enough time.

I wonder if you may have a similar conflict where there is a part of you that really likes being awake at night.

Kind regards,

Ann