total-recoil
Well-Known Member
I found out about this myself and suspect that very possibly I may have this. It's often connected to autism spectrum. I don't know a great deal about DSPD as of yet so too early to get particularly brave in self diagnosis but I will describe what I experience.
Basically, when I wake up early to go to work, it kills me. It was the same at school. I just can't seem to adapt to being up early. With Delayed Sleep Phase Disorder people who have it tend to go to bed after midnight and also get up late sometimes even at noon. Now, in my case, I can actually go to bed at, say, 4.00 a.m. and would probably feel fine getting up at 10.30 a.m. Or even as late as 6.00 a.m and up at 11.00 a.m. Yet even if I went to bed at 23.00 p.m., rising at 6.00 or 7.00 kills me. The more I do it, the worse I feel. Also doing that I physically slow down so my motor movements become comically slow. I may get bad tempered as all or even, in extreme cases, suffer cramps.
I suspect it is one of the factors making it difficult to hold down a job and some people suggested maybe I'd be better going on nights. I did used to work night and could sleep as little as 4 hours by day and wake up fine. But to do the same going the opposite way and rising at 6.00 kills me.
"People with DSPS tend to fall asleep at very late times, and also have difficulty waking up in time for school or work which begins in the morning.
Often, DSP individuals report that they cannot sleep until early morning.
Unlike insomniacs, however, they fall asleep at about the same time every night, no matter what time they go to bed.
People with DSPS have at least a normal - and often much greater than normal - ability to sleep during the morning, and sometimes in the afternoon as well.
In contrast, those with chronic insomnia do not find it much easier to sleep during the morning than at night."
Basically, when I wake up early to go to work, it kills me. It was the same at school. I just can't seem to adapt to being up early. With Delayed Sleep Phase Disorder people who have it tend to go to bed after midnight and also get up late sometimes even at noon. Now, in my case, I can actually go to bed at, say, 4.00 a.m. and would probably feel fine getting up at 10.30 a.m. Or even as late as 6.00 a.m and up at 11.00 a.m. Yet even if I went to bed at 23.00 p.m., rising at 6.00 or 7.00 kills me. The more I do it, the worse I feel. Also doing that I physically slow down so my motor movements become comically slow. I may get bad tempered as all or even, in extreme cases, suffer cramps.
I suspect it is one of the factors making it difficult to hold down a job and some people suggested maybe I'd be better going on nights. I did used to work night and could sleep as little as 4 hours by day and wake up fine. But to do the same going the opposite way and rising at 6.00 kills me.
"People with DSPS tend to fall asleep at very late times, and also have difficulty waking up in time for school or work which begins in the morning.
Often, DSP individuals report that they cannot sleep until early morning.
Unlike insomniacs, however, they fall asleep at about the same time every night, no matter what time they go to bed.
People with DSPS have at least a normal - and often much greater than normal - ability to sleep during the morning, and sometimes in the afternoon as well.
In contrast, those with chronic insomnia do not find it much easier to sleep during the morning than at night."
Thankfully my husband has the same sleep issues as I do. In fact, sometimes we stay up even later unless he has to work the next day.
