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Sleep schedule is Ruining My Life

Pillthrill

Pillthrill

Bluelighter
Joined
Dec 12, 2007
Messages
10,861
Location
USA
Right, now I am set to nights.
I finally get to sleep somewhere between 5 (when I lay down usually) and 9am.
I usually end up sleeping a full 12 hours and so its evening when I get up.
I know I really need to get out there and be finding a job or at least trying to work on getting ready to go back to school. But there just is no energy to do so.
I can't function.

I have tried taking Seroquel at 3am or so but it doesn't put me out. If something does work I just sleep 12 hours and stay in the same cycle I'm in. I could pump myself full of caffeine to try to stay awake during the day but it has given me panic attacks in the past. Not to mention that we have no money for whatever cool energy drink is out there now. And I can't drink coffee. Ick. We are to the point of digging for change in the couch so perhaps we can eat. There is money is Paypal but they aren't giving it to us until it goes through the correct channels. It isn't mine even, its the bf's, he just feeds me.

So I find myself in a cycle I can't break. And it is really depressing me! I could ask the Dr to give me some new med I saw that they give swing shift workers to help them stay awake. My mom pays for my meds so thats not an issue. But I don't think they would give it to me. "Just go to bed, and get up." ITS NOT THAT EASY. My body does whatever it wants! And IF I DID get up and get a job, I would just fall asleep or be sluggish and they would fire me.

I feel so stupid writing this all out and asking for help because it seems like such a simple problem but I feel like I'm backwards in this world and I don't know what to do...
 
Try staying awake for a day or two to build up your tiredness, then crash at whatever time you'd prefer (say, 9 or 10pm). If that doesn't work you could try asking your doc for some hypnotic benzos like temazepam, triazolam or midazolam to take at the desired time of night. It doesn't have to be for a long period of time... maybe just a week or two worth of pills to re-adjust your sleep patterns. How much Seroquel do you take? You could also try increasing your dose of that. I use Seroquel for insomnia, but I gradually got a tolerance to it, so I now need between 100 and 200mg's each night just to feel tired.
 
Man, if this is your biggest problem, you're in a good spot. Do one of the following:

Stay up all night and day and go to bed at whatever is a decent time that you'd like to start your cycle in and set an alarm to wake yourself up. Keep this cycle going and eventually your body will get used to it.

Try going to sleep early by using drugs and set your alarm to wake you up early and get a schedule going.

I wish this was my biggest problem, heh.
 
I can't stay up all day. I've tried it doesn't work. I keep falling asleep. Uncontrollable.
I can get up, but I just can't stay awake.

And I don't appreciate the belittling of my problem. I don't go to your threads and say these stuff like that.
I see that you are a greenlighter, just a hint, that belittling is kind frowned on in TDS.

Especially when you aren't in that person's shoes no know the impact that it may be having on them psychologically.
I'm actually having a really tough time with this and your comment was inconsiderate.
No wonder I had my reservations about posting in the first place, even though this has been going on for months...
 
I'm in the same boat. But I usually fall asleep before 6am and wake up around 2 or so. I've tried everything (except eating downers that I dont have access to) from staying up all night and day but I usually pass out in the afternoon and wake up around 11pm to continue my insomnia. I usually hit my stride for the day around midnight so going to sleep early is out of the question.
 
Oh, yeah.
On top of this I'm battling some mind depression.
Not enough that I need to be medicated for but enough that it makes it hard to get out of bed in the first place.
And then I encounter stresses and obstacles in my waking hours and my defense mechanism is go back to bed, cover my head and not deal with it.
 
Do you do exercise on a regular basis? Do you eat enough of the right kinds of food?

I understand that a messed up sleep schedule can make life very difficult, I am sorry to hear this PT and good luck! I really think that exercise and diet have a lot to do with sleep.

I have ADHD, and without ADHD meds, I often have messed up sleep. I find sleep medications typically don't help as much as ADHD medications. However, they are great for the short term relief of intermittent insomnia.

How long have you noticed your sleep quality lacking this much? Did you start any new medications recently?
 
I'm not awake to exercise PLUS, I hate it.
Seriously, I would rather eat the most hated food in the world that exercise.
But now that I think about it, I suppose Anthony and Igo for a walk once a week or so, perhaps more than that, if that counts...
if it isn't 100 degrees out.

I've been eating a lot better.
Smoothies and stuff.
But right now like I said, no money...
no organic and healthy food.
Ramen noodle like foods....
 
My regular sleeping pattern is somewhere between four and six am to noon or two pm, it's been like this for as long as I can remember, even in elementary school and high school I usually didn't get to sleep till the early morning hours. I've just accepted it, but it definitely fucks with my life in certain ways, like trying to explain that you can't work at 11am because it's too early for you. When I get really stressed out or depressed it gets worse and I barely get any sleep.

For me this sleeping pattern is normal, I don't know if that's the case with you, some people just have a different biological rhythm or circadian rhythm or whatever it's called. I take ambien just to try and get to sleep by 4am, most people don't understand it and it causes some friction for sure.

Getting any kind of a job even if it's at odd hours will usually help at least establish some kind of sleeping pattern, I know it's hard though, especially when you're broke and depressed, a state I'm all too familiar with. Just try not to beat yourself up over it. Also google DSPS displaced sleep phase syndrome, if you haven't already read about it it's pretty interesting.
 
try waking up really early and then taking a nap mid day then go to bed at a reasonable time to fit your sleep schedule
 
I didn't use to have this so badly until recently, but now I can definitely relate. I cannot fall asleep until about 4AM and then I sleep till about 10AM if I'm lucky. Some nights I can't sleep at all and I expect to be really tired the next night and STILL can't fall asleep until 4AM.

I work night shift 99% of the time so I think that has a lot to do with it. I also just got off of poppy tea after being hooked for 2 years, I've been clean for about a month and I speculate it might have something to do with my fucked up sleep schedule. Wish I could offer some advice but I haven't been able to fix this problem for myself even by missing a nights sleep so I really don't know. I can sympathize though, it can be frustrating sometimes.
 
Pillthrill said:
Right, now I am set to nights.
I finally get to sleep somewhere between 5 (when I lay down usually) and 9am.

My body does whatever it wants!

I can't stay up all day. I've tried it doesn't work. I keep falling asleep. Uncontrollable.
Click to expand...

Okay hun, it sounds like you need a complete change of everything relating to your current sleep routine. I know you say that your body does whatever it wants and it's uncontrollable, but you DO have control over your body's sleep pattern, even though I know it feels like you don't at the moment. If you make some changes I know you will fall in to the correct sleep cycle. It will take a little while to adjust and for that reason you will need to be really patient. But you'll get there.

Firstly, things like computer, TV, music, reading, anything that stimulates your brain will be keeping you awake longer. So ideally you will need to cease all of that behaviour at least an hour before you're preparing for sleep.

Also, your bed needs to be your sanctuary for sleep (and sex of course), but it needs to be a relaxing and secure environment where your body knows that it's time for sleep. So avoid doing anything else in or on your bed, e.g. watching TV, reading, BLing/computer, eating/drinking. Your bed is JUST for sleep.

Alcohol and weed (and other drugs) can really mess up your sleep cycle so make sure you lay off those when you're wanting to sleep.

It can take a while for our brain and body to sufficiently unwind after being awake so if you want to go to sleep at say 9-10pm, you need to start the unwinding process at say 7:30-8pm. NO stimulating activities in this time period before bed either, i.e. no TV and no computer. Have a light dinner, play with the kitties, have some herbal tea (nothing caffienated of course), do some yoga or stretching, and then get in to bed and just rest. You will eventually go to sleep. If you don't feel sleepy, just lie there and relax, focus on deep breathing and relaxing your whole body. Getting rest is the next best thing from getting sleep, so it's better than nothing. And trust me, you will eventually sleep.

Like I said, it will take a little while to fully change the pattern, but you should hopefully be sleeping well during the night within 1-2 weeks?

Let me know how you go hun <3
 
If you can't stay up all day, at least stay up as long as you can for a few days and sleep later and later in the day, until you get to the point where you are tired when you want to sleep. That shouldn't take more than a few days...
 
I agree w/ n3ophy7e that it is something that we can change. I know that when I worked the morning shift I went to bed somewhere between 10 and midnight. I blame it on the fact that the most active part of my day is between 4 and 10:30 PM when I'm working. Then I'm all wound up when I get home and don't fall asleep for hours.
 
For me, the sleeping schedule you describe happens when I'm bored. If I'm working too few hours, or I'm on a break, then I'll naturally just zone out in front of the computer and stave off sleep as long as possible. Then I sleep when I can't keep my eyes open any longer.

The body craves exercise, and the mind craves structure. Neither are always pleasant, but they do wonders to contribute to a healthy sleeping schedule.

If you don't like formal exercise, I'd suggest joining a sports league with your boyfriend. Volleyball, baseball, dodge ball. Something to get yourself moving once a week.
 
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