Delayed Sleep Phase Syndrome

[livingwith]

It’s 5:25 AM. I have to be somewhere at 4 PM tomorrow for work. I have a dental condition that must be attended to during ‘normal” working hours. I try and try and try to make myself a life where I can live on my own clock but I can’t escape having to interact with the daytime schedule. Trying to fit myself into it.
There are so few opportunities to have a serious job that doesn’t require early hours. When I was in high school, the only way I got to my 8:30 class w...Read the full article

[memphistinker]

I have just discovered the name of sleep difficulty my entire life ! So I appreciate that I am NOT alone. I was injured in a head-on collision and have a brain injury (limited short term memory). I have been struggling to get on regular sleep hours my whole life. I settled on in-home sales jobs so I could start my day later and work into the night. Actually, I have years of data showing that my "closing ratio" greatly increased during afternoon and evening appointments. Amazing!

Now I understand why. I currently find that I go to bed around 4am each day, but most of the time have to read until about 5:30 - 5:45 before I get sleepy. And, boy do I dream. My REM sleep has increased dramatically. I usually wake up about 1:30 to 2:30 pm. My wife (who works 9-5 job) found the information about delayed sleep phase syndrome. She had seen me struggle our entire married life. And, how I had been terribly guilty that she was getting up so early and I would sleep all day "while she was working".

But, she told me my internal clock was just natural. Not to worry about it.

I have a wonderful wife.

Everyone, thank you. For putting your stories on-line . . . your story is my story.

david