[wendysinger]

I'm 36 and have had chronic insomina for my entire life. I have many of the same experiences as all of you: unable to fall asleep naturally before 4 am even if exhausted, disciplined or fired from jobs and school due to chronic lateness, effects sleep with my husband, unable to be mentally awake for my children before 9 am.

For the last 9 years (my oldest daughter is 9), I have had to compensate by taking a combination of prescription and over the counter medications in order to force myself to sleep. After a while they don't work and I just feel groggy and irritated the entire day, even during my most awake evening times. Finally, two days ago, I decided this has to stop. I am trying to implement a strict good sleep hygiene strategy. It's not really working, I'm still unable to sleep before 4 am, but still have to wake up at 7 am to take my daughter to school. However, I feel better because I have detoxed from the Ambien CR and benadryl, so my awake times are more productive.

I just found this forum, and am amazed. I was diagnosed with chronic insomnia in a sleep clinic last year, but no one even mentioned DSPS to me. I know for sure that this is what I have. Now...what to do about it...my husband is a morning person and I love spending time with him. Anyway, I'll be paying attention to all of your suggestions. Currently, I need to find a good way to meditate or another activity to engage in so that I'm not watching TV just before I go to sleep between 1-4 am, since I'm trying to adhere to the good sleep hygiene rules.

Any suggestions?

[GAL65]

Hi Wendy. Like you, I just found this forum as well and I hope to find information that will help my daughter as well as myself. I didn't realize there were so many people that suffered from DSPS.

My daughter, who is now 18, was diagnosed with DSPS four years ago. I had no idea until then that there was such a thing, but I knew something was fishy when her behavior got worse and worse where it got to the point that I would drag her out of bed by her ankles in the mornings and she would just curl up on the floor and continue sleeping. She has had trouble waking since she was a baby. I also thought something wasn't right because my brother was exactly the same when we were kids so I knew there had to be a connection. After many tardies and absences from school I decided to take my daughter in and they conducted a sleep study on her and had a diagnosis. I was happy to tell my brother that there was a name for what he has been experiencing for his entire life (he's in his 40's now).

Both my brother and my daughter were often labeled as lazy or undisciplined and even before I knew what was going on I knew that wasn't so because they both would be very upset with themselves for not being able to behave "normally." If they were lazy they wouldn't feel guilt in my mind. Anyway, I found some great information recently on this wiki page: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delayed_sleep_phase_syndrome. Unfortunately, it says there isn't much you can do but try and alter your lifestyle to accommodate, which is exactly what my brother has instinctively done over the years. He only works swings or mids because otherwise he can't function. My daughter recently graduated from H.S. and is working a swing shift and has never done better sleeping. She gets to sleep around 2 or 3am and wakes up around 11:00am or noon time and has never felt better or more rested. I was also able to find a college schedule that allowed her to go to school in the afternoons otherwise I knew she would never make it through. She struggled so in school and every teacher I ever talked to about her tardies or absences thought her DSPS was hogwosh and it made me so angry.

Back to solutions, I'm glad you are off the medication because I used to do that too and I never felt good. I believe I suffer from the same syndrome just a more minor form and I have suffered from insomnia for years where not only do I have an extremely hard time falling asleep before the wee hours of the morning, I also don't stay asleep, but I believe my insomnia is more related to life circumstances. when my daughter was younger she suffered from night terrors and a spontaneous fever disorder that required me to wake up every night for years. I actually had one doctor tell me that if I ever want to sleep, my daughter will have to sleep in my room with me because I will constantly be getting up throughout the nights. Anyway, I feel that the DSPS part of me has been with me my whole life and I have found that melatonin works pretty well for me. I have been using for a couple of years now and like it. but I never let my daughter try it because her DSPS is more sever and I was afraid it might make her worse since an alteration in the melatonin cycle is what causes DSPS. But, that is up to you. Since it is the natural sleep hormone, it is much gentler than medications, doesn't give you a "hangover" and isn't addictive. I tried for my daughter the light therapy method as well, but since she wasn't consistent using it, it didn't have much of an affect on her. But I have been giving it a try lately to see how I do since I still have to wake up earlier than I feel comfortable for work.

Anyway, I wish you the best of luck and as for spending time with your husband, bless his heart, you both might have to adjust as if you are on a different work schedule because from what I understand and have experienced from my family, this is a condition, not an option. Again, good luck.

[storm68]

My 13 yr old son has advanced DSPS for the past 2 yrs. Finally i diagnosed him with DSPS last November. I brought this info to his doctors and my family and friends. Wow what a relieve. But not from the sleepless nights. We have tried all the treatment suggested and nothing had worked. We have been to counselors, child psychologists and the sleep clinic. He has been on and off of a few different meds. Though I was hoping these other treatments would work they didnt. We tried sleep hygiene, light therapy, chronotherapy (several times), and doing it different ways -- nothing worked. My son takes 50 to 100 mg of TRAZODONE at bedtime. It is getting him to sleep and he is able to get up and enjoy the day. I hope he wont have to take it every night but so far, even though he has a very active summer schedule working at summer camp the last 5 weeks -- he still isnt tired at bedtime and cant fall asleep unless he takes the medication.
I feel for you -- especially when you have to get up early. I spent many nights up with my son and still had to get up to take my other children to school, and go work, and cart them around after school. I am also the only adult in my house, being divorced and my family lives 2 hours away -- its been all me taking care of this day in and day out. Thank God we got him through 8th grade without a truancy ticket -- we were threatened, often. Many doctors appointments and monthly school appointments to review my sons progress -- or NOT! Now i just got to get him through H.S.!!!!
Good luck -- I hope you find something to help you live on a normal schedule, i know its not easy!!!
Dana