Delayed Sleep Phase Syndrome

[websterjz]

I am so happy to have found this forum. Today, for the first time, I heard about DSPS and it has really been an "awakening". My husband is an "early to bed, early to rise" kind of guy. We have had many arguments involving my not going to bed at night and my not getting up in the morning. I tried to assure him that it was not personal, I've been a so called "night owl" my whole life. I thought that for the sake of marriage sanity I would adjust my body clock to sleep more on his schedule. The harder I tried to change my sleep pattern the less I slept and the more we fought because I was turning into a sleep-deprived witch. I tried getting up extra early, it didn't help - I was still awake until 3:00 the next morning. I tried going to bed extra early, I don't think I slept at all those nights. I tried going to bed just an hour earlier and I still was not ready to get up at 11:00 the next day.

For years I've wondered how people wake up refreshed and ready to go, I always wake up groggy and wanting more sleep no matter how many hours I got. My mind doesn't really turn on until 2:00 pm and I am at my mental and creative best after midnight. I have no problem falling asleep after 2:00 am and I sleep soundly. I have the most wonderfully vivid dreams that I can return to if I wake up and can get back to sleep right away. I hate waking up every day and I often feel bad that I can't seem to do the "early bird catches the worm" thing.

At least I know I'm not alone and that there are things I can do to try to sleep more normal hours; although, I sort of enjoy the early morning hours when everyone else is asleep and things are quiet.