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Delayed Sleep Phase Syndrome. (DSPS) Circadian Rhythms
82You Could Be Sleeping Like A Baby?
Delayed Sleep Phase Syndrome
Have you spent years counting sheep, counting backwards from 1000, taken herbal sleep aides, changed your bed and bedding, and still find yourself wide awake until 3, 4 or 5 am or whatever time, every day?
Have you ever thought that you were out of kilter with the rest of society and no matter where in the world you have been?
It made no difference to your sleep pattern?
While everyone crashes out after a long flight from say London to Los Angeles are you still wide awake.
Lying in bed for hours while everyone else drop’s off to sleep in 2 minutes.
Do you wonder that they can sleep and you cannot?
Do you think you are some kind of freak? Why can’t you sleep at the right time?
If the answer to any or some of the above, rings a bell then maybe you are suffering from:-
Delayed Sleep Phase Syndrome or DSPS.
Follow my journey through the assessment process, to a real cure.
It is surprising the number of people that have this sleep problem, They just get on with it thinking they are the only one with this particular sleep problem.
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Sleep Hygiene
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Sleep Debt
Researching this article has shown that it is a much more common problem, than it at first appeared. I thought is was just me. Why is this? Because no-one talks about it, and when we do.
The old chestnuts of advice come out thick and fast. Just go to bed earlier or get a job at night or whenever it fits in. This is really missing the point. Big time! Going to sleep at 4 a.m. When you have to get up for work at 7 a.m. Quickly builds up a 'sleep debt' which you can never pay off!
Sleeping in late at the weekend to 'catch up' is just not going to do it. After a while, if you do not address the problem, you could be headed for a serious physical and emotional crash. Sleep debt can be fatal.
Learning good sleep hygiene is the first step. This involves regulating food and drink intake. Setting yourself up, and in the mood for sleep. Sounds simple? It isn't.
Biological Clock
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The Culprit Is Identified
The hormone Melatonin is found in all animals, plants and microbes. In humans this compound fluctuates on a daily cycle, and affects your circadian rhythms and many of your primary bodily functions too. Including your wake/sleep cycle. Circadian Rhythms are not to be confused with those noisy bugs or a Latin America jazz band.
“circadian rhythms are endogenous ("built-in", self-sustained), they are adjusted (entrained) to the environment by external cues called zeitgebers, (from the German for "time giver," or "synchronizer") the primary one of which is daylight.”
The term "circadian" was coined by Franz Halberg in the late 1950s. Although the above is true, using Melatonin as a treatment alone doesn’t help people with Delayed Sleep Phase Syndrome. DSPS affects approximately 0.15% or 1 in every 667 of the population and it can run in families indicating a genetic connection.
There is research on the genetic front but it is still early days. Globally the syndrome has minor variations although it is slightly higher in some Scandinavian countries. As mentioned above experiments have been conducted in the use of Melatonin in an attempt to control the circadian rhythm and rectify DSPS. Melatonin artificially introduced this way has little effect.
The effects that are produced, are very short lived with the subject returning to their usual sleep pattern within a few days. Combined with light therapy it can have a dramatic effect. Sunlight generally does makes everyone feel a better. The term that we use for morning or evening people. Larks and Owls, are in scientific circles known as Chronotypes.
A chronotype is a way of describing a particular attribute of an animal, plant or a human. In our example indicating what time of the day, various physical functions are active i.e. cognitive faculties, eating and sleeping. In our case we are only interested in sleeping onset habits or Delayed Sleep Phase Syndrome.
Papworth Hospital, Sleep Clinic, Cambridgeshire
Papworth Hospital, cambridgeshire uk - Misdiagnosed?
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A Night Owl Or A Lark?
Night Owls are evening people, and most active and alert at night. Larks love the morning. When we consider the situation of the Night Owls and the problems of fitting into a society that operates on a completely different clock. We must conclude that living like this is extremely difficult and not something one would ‘choose’ to do.
Many people who have this sleep pattern are misdiagnosed and often viewed as lazy or worse. Many times they live their lives thinking there is something mentally wrong with them. They may take all the tests and listen to the scant advice. They are often misdiagnosed and prescribed sleeping pills; that either don’t work at all, or knocked them out cold. To keep their finances in order many struggle on. Working the 9 to 5 on just a few hours’ sleep a night.
They come home and grab an hour or two on the couch, ‘power napping’. Long term this can lead to serious health problems, including exhaustion and depression.
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Finally A Treatment That Works. See Update Below
If you suffer from this syndrome unfortunately there seemed to be no remedy. All attempts and there have been many, to reset my body clock have failed. Although I am going to give it another try soon.
The Good News.
Now you know the truth. You can really do something about it finally. The 'best advice' around states that the thing to do is to try to accept it. Try to find an occupation that fits around your sleep pattern. Fortunately our society is now 24/7, so you may consider switching to work that fits in with 'you' rather than drive yourself nuts trying to fit into a system that doesn’t run to 'your' rhythm.
Some career choices to consider. Taxi Driver, Hospital Work, Writer (Technical or Blogger) Call Centre Operative, Gas Station Operator/Owner, Bakery Worker/Owner. And countless millions more no doubt. When you truly discover that ‘you’ are not the problem, and have in fact got a syndrome. It can be very liberating. It’s not an excuse or a 'cop out' but an invitation to jump in.
Gone is the self-doubt replaced with a new determination. To work with your sleep pattern rather than fight it. When you come to the conclusion, that you’re not going to fight or try to control it anymore. You are going to accommodate it and make it work for you for a change. You may feel better for the first time in years. You may finally understand what the heck has been going on all this time. Hope this helps someone sooner rather than later. Time waits for no-one.
9th Feb 2012 Update:-
Following my doctors advice I have been doing the following. I have been trying for the last month, to adjust my sleep onset by staying awake, an hour extra every day/night. So instead of going to bed to sleep at 4 a.m. as is usual. I started going to bed at 5 a.m.then 6 a.m. etc. I couldn't keep it up and have reverted to the 4 a.m. sleep onset. This seems to be my natural rhythm.
I attended Papworth Sleep Clinic today and spoke to Sam (patient tech support). She has given me a new sleep data logger to wear tonight, or whenever I go to sleep, to try to get some decent data, on my sleep patterns. I have also been advised to try a light box (simulated daylight box) in the next few weeks and see if that helps along with a new attempt at changing my body clock. I have also been prescribed Melatonin, but advised not to use it, until I reach the time of night that I want to achieve. i.e. 11 p.m.
Melatonin And My Light Box
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Update 9th March 2012 And 13th April 2012
I have some good news at last. Trying to adjust my sleep pattern manually failed. So I decided to try the Melatonin and light treatment. I picked up a litebook elite light-box yesterday from Papworth sleep clinic. I had already collected a prescription for Melatonin.
I took the 2mg Melatonin at around 10.30 p.m. and was sound asleep by 1 a.m. I slept through the night waking at 8.30 a.m. feeling that I had had a good sleep. I could feel the effects of the Melatonin whilst lying in bed. It made me feel deeply relaxed. I feel off to sleep with no problems. I would normally be awake until 4 a.m. and later. The next morning I awoke and turned on the light box.
The Light Box Therapy Felt Kind of Weird.
To just sit in front of a bright light seems abnormal! It does works by stimulating the Pineal gland. The pineal gland regulates the amount of melatonin the body produces. Within 30 minutes I was very alert and wide awake. It actually worked? I am surprised and relieved by these simple solutions. I wish I had discovered these simple fixes decades ago. It would have been very helpful, to say the least. I have written this update to this hub within 1 hour of waking.
This would not normally happen until early evening. When I would become more alert. I will update again in a months time, I know it is only early days but I am very happy with these results.
Final Update 13th April 2012
I have been taking 2mg of Melatonin for 4 weeks now. My life has completely changed for the better. I am sleeping well from 11 pm until 7 am every day like clockwork. I cannot believe it. I have stopped snoring too. The light box therapy in the morning wakes me up so effectively that I feel 20 years younger. I have not had this much energy in years. I am so alert and feel like my brain is firing on all cylinders for probably the first time in my life.
I still have Delayed Sleep Phase Syndrome but it is now regulated by the melatonin. If I miss taking a dose I revert to my old sleep pattern. I decided to check it to find out if my sleep pattern had changed permanently. It hasn't so I will continue taking the melatonin. I am shocked, amazed, thankful and very, very impressed. With my GP and the staff at Papworth Hospital Sleep Clinic. Thank you all so much.
Melatonin has totally changed my life. Hope this helps you too.
Always consult your doctor before taking any course of treatment.
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This is really EXCELLENT! I love how you covered the tough topics. I didn't even want to touch going into chronotypes or the pineal gland when talking about the light therapy. I just did not think I could make it so understandable and you did a beautiful job.
I agree 100% with everything you did and said. Being an R.PSG.T - I rarely ever say that when reading a sleep article. I mean you just did everything right. Including - consult a doc before using melatonin.
Many people misunderstand the use of melatonin - it is not exactly a sleeping pill. Actually, the only reason you can get it in the states without a perscription is because it is considered a dietary supplement. However - it is used to change the circadian rhythm - it is used in cases like yours or if a person is changing jobs for example and they need to change their whole entire sleep schedule. It is not to be used on a rare occasion to help a person sleep. I was so glad to see you really made that clear too - beautiful!
I am super impressed. I am linking this to mine right now - I think it is pretty cool how we both have covered different things about this. It is a terrific addition to mine! Thank you so much!
Hi Stephanie,
I really didn't realise how bad it was, until I got a good nights sleep.
I cannot believe that I carried on for years on just a few hours sleep per night.
I do not like taking pills but the melatonin is a naturally occuring hormone. I just do not have enough of it.
Hope your friend gets some help and thanks for coming over.
I'm a night owl, but nothing as drastic as you were. Luckily, my sleep patterns don't interfere with other members of the household, and I can enjoy the quiet solitude of nighttime wakefulness without feeling guilty. Although I've heard some people praise melatonin, I never knew that it could be so beneficial for people with serious sleep problems. I have one friend with chronic insomnia, and she just hates to take sleeping pills. This sounds like it might be a wonderful solution for her (with doctor's approval, of course).
Great hub, voted up and useful! Interesting as always!
Hello Jackie Lynnley,
I would always suggest speaking to a pharmacist first before taking anything.
Melatonin is a natural hormone produced by our bodies. Sometimes some people do not produce enough and a supplement can be used to the required dosage.
It has been of great advantage to me but people should consult their own doctor first, before taking anything.
Thanks for your useful comment.
Hello Jackie Lynnley,
I would always suggest speaking to a pharmacist first before taking anything.
Melatonin is a natural hormone produced by our bodies. Sometimes some people do not produce enough and a supplement can be used to the required dosage.
It has been of great advantage to me but people should consult their own doctor first, before taking anything.
Thanks for your useful comment.
I bought some awhile back and took just a bit of a tablet and it did help but besides blood pressure medicine I take a load of supplements like vitamins, calcium, hawthorne, Vit-D, etc, so it frightens me to not know if this can go and not have a bad reaction to any of those. Did you see any info on any of that? I know it says on the bottle something about warnings if you take other sedative, so it would be great to know that part in case it could be dangerous in some cases. What about people who may take nerve medicine you know or allergy medicines that cause drowsiness? Could it be dangerous?
Hello peachpurple,
It sounds to me like you may have this DSPS like me?
Have you ever had it looked into? I can highly recommend getting a doctor's opinion.
Tell them what is happening and mention what you have learned. That might help them 'get it'
Good luck and hope this has been helpful.
I have trouble with sleeping too. Sleep at 3am , wake up at 5am, back to sleep at 6am, sleep through the day until 3pm. Weird, isn't it?
Hello Tammy,
It is all to easy to knock our sleep pattern out of whack, and not so easy to get it back on track.
I have had a sleep issue, for as long as I can remember.
This Melatonin has really made a difference.
I know it is only one day but I am optimistic by nature.
It's 10.33 PM and I just took today's dose.
I will be off to the Land of Nod shortly.
I can't believe that I never thought of this before.
Thanks for sharing your experience. Have you been taking it for long?
Hi Aurelio,
I am so pleased with the results of the melatonin.
I just wish I had made the connections much earlier.
It would have saved me a lot of unnecessary poor sleep and what that can lead too, to say the least.
Thanks for SHARING
I LOVE melatonin. I used to sleep like a rock for all my life. My youngest child came along and I was up every two hours for a year and a half. I don't think my brain knows what sleep is anymore. Great hub!
I'm very much a daybird, so only experience sleep problems occasionally. I didn't know about melatonin so will give that a try next time. Voting this Up and Useful. Thanks for SHARING.
Hello Joelipoo,
I have had a sleep issue like you describe for so many years. I tried to adjust to it over the years.
It never worked and I spent decades on very little sleep. Until it finally got to much.
I have taken Melatonin for the first time last night and cannot believe it was so effective.
I would recommend you visit your doctor and get a professional opinion first. It worked for me. It could do the same for you. Good luck hope this helps.
I often have trouble falling asleep right away and will lie there for a while. I have wondered if I have some sort of sleep issue but have never looked into it. My mom has encouraged me to take Melatonin. Maybe I will try this.
Hi Justin, I took the Melatonin last night for the first time and it worked wonders.
I have updated this hub with the details.
Hi Justin,
Me too. In fact I have been given a prescription for melatonin and am attending the clinic tomorrow (well in 9 hours actually!) As it's 3 a.m. and I am still up as usual.
I will give the melatonin a try too. I don't need much sleep either? how weird!
Michael, definitely an owl. Always have been. I also take melatonin supplements to help me fall asleep once I'm in bed. I also don't need much sleep.
DzyMsLizzy,
The government decriminalized it here a few years ago and then recently reversed their decision.
It is a very grey area indeed.
Sleep patterns are so tricky, anything that can help is worth consideration.
It's also technically illegal here, on the federal level, but individual states have legalized medicinal use--I live in one of those states, and the current administration has directed the feds not to "mess with" those states...I don't see how they can hold out much longer keeping it illegal, given all the evidence contradicting the government's position. ;-)
DzyMsLizzy, O I see,:)
I don't think it would help with my condition. Plus it is still a controlled substance here in the UK lol
LOL--"magic brownies" aka "Alice B. Toklas brownies"... (medicinal cannabis) ;-)
Hi Deb Welch,
I think you may well have this same issue? What do you think? I am no doctor but from what you describe it sounds the same.
Hi Deb Welch,
I will check it out.
@TrahnTheMan, it is a problem when we have these out of phase sleep patterns. Good luck.
Hi DzyMsLizzy,
Lol and we could still be living in caves. Thanks for commenting. Everyone should have a 'condition' Alert!
What are 'magic brownies' ?
Hi RTalloni,
Melatonin is a naturally occurring compound and as such has no side effects. It has to be prescribed by a doctor in the UK and people should always seek medical advice before taking anything.
Thanks for your comment
molometer - Hi again - 11 days ago I commented on your Hub and you replied that I should write a Hub on my experience of which I did. SLEEP, PRECIOUS, SLEEP. Thanks so much for the help.
I couldn't be more of a lark! My friends know I'll be in bed by 9:00pm and like many of the other hubbers am distressed if I'm not - I feel like a child sometimes but I LOVE the mornings...only problem is I'm not a great sleeper so I'm often 'up and at 'em' early but I'm so tired too! I've never wanted to be a night owl though - I guess you wouldn't if you're a lark! Great Hub, thanks!
Hmm... I was born at 7:21 in the a.m., and I've been trying to make up for it all my life. Most of my young to middle-aged adult years were spent as a stay-at-home mom, so I was free to go back to bed after the kiddos were out the door to school.
When I worked for a few years after that era, boy, did I struggle to get to work by 8. Luckily, I worked only a 15 minute drive from home, so I'd perform my ablutions at night, roll out of bed at 7:40, into by clothes and right out the door. The work was at a bakery, so breakfast was when I got there! ;-)
After that, I became self-employed, and work the hours I jolly well feel like working.
When a "lark" saunters up and sing-songs, "goood morrnniinggg.." to me, they are lucky I don't believe in violence. I do growl, however. I used to have a sign on my desk reading, "If it's not yet noon, don't ask."
Interesting that they now want to call it a "condition" and give it a "medical name." Personally, I find that 'magic brownies' turn the trick for a good night's sleep to wake refreshed. ;-)
Thanks Jessi10,
I am afraid that it is the same with me. I went for years on only a few hours sleep a night. It took it out of me in the end and I just couldn't do it anymore, hope this info helps you some.
I did not know this but I'm definitely a day bird anyway. Voting this Up and Interesting.
When awake time is night time we may as well make the best use of it! It's not always easy to give ourselves permission to do so, though. Neat perspective here.
(We need to be careful to check out the side effects of melatonin and follow the guidelines for using it.)
You completely read my mind! This is so amazing! It practically describes me and sleep. Lately it seems that I cannot get up before Noon. I've tried everything, but I believe that part of the problem is that I think too much, and when I want to go to sleep, is when I come up with the best topics to write about. So, then I write, and when its time to really fall asleep, I have to work.. And the cycle continues the next day!
Thank you for writing this Hub! I'm going to bookmark it!
Thank you, molometer for this informative and well-written hub. I have been a night owl my whole life, and many of the world doesn't understand that. It can't be changed. No matter how many times for jobs I've had to get up before daylight, I never got used to it. I actually struggle every morning with getting out of bed, no matter the time. I get creative late at night. I love staying up late, no matter how tired I am the next day. Thank you for reaching out and validating what is REAL. People are wired differently, and I couldn't become a Lark no more than a Lark could become a night owl! I wonder if taking melatonin would make my sleep deeper and more restful...? Great hub! Lots of votes here! Sharing, too!
Hi Deb Welch,
That is very interesting. So the melatonin is only partially useful? It is in keeping with what I have discovered but I hoped it might actually be more helpful.
I would like to know more about your experience. Maybe you could write a hub on it?
Molometer, Useful and Interesting Hub. I take Melatonin and have for a long while - it helps most of the time. I have not slept an entire night through for years upon years - all I ever get is broken sleep. I do get power naps sitting up and they are the best.
Hello Anaya M. Baker,
Sorry about the delay in getting back to you. Us night owls need to stick together.
Interesting that the melatonin didn't work for you as my research indicates the same thing. It just doesn't work!
Maybe for short periods but not long term.
I am attending a sleep clinic but not holding my breath. Like you. I am learning towards freelancing and writing in general, as I can do that when it suits me. And I like to write. So why not? Great hubbers make great company and I feel that I am always learning here.
Hi Brett,
Thanks for the good advice and you are right there are plenty of opportunities out there for working odd hours. I have done a few in the past.
I am due to go to the sleep clinic on the 17th Jan so will update this hub then.
Great hub, I read it with interest! I've been an owl as long as I can remember. Would lay awake for hours at night when I was 5 years old, even though bedtimes were strictly enforced. Over the years I realized that I just couldn't function in a 9 to 5 world, and have luckily always been able to find jobs that could accommodate that. Now as a freelancer working from home I try to be at work by about 10 am, but my brain doesn't really switch on until closer to noon. And it's funny, when I'm in a different time zone, it really doesn't help, I'm just later to tire and later to wake up than the rest of the world. Glad to know I'm not the only person like that out there! (And I've tried melatonin- doesn't do a thing for me!)
A very in depth scientific hub ... although it made me laugh when the solution was acceptance lol. I have always been a night owl, hence I prefer working afternoons-evenings. Thankfully, there are many jobs that fit this cycle ... a lot of which will actually pay you extra for 'unsociable hours' ... so there are some benefits to the problem.
Hello Alydar,
I know what you mean about the freedom of solitude. I love it and I am more productive I find. We are obviously, not all the same and what if ;we like sitting u[ until the wee hours.
Who is it hurting? No one.
I would be interested to learn more on what you mentioned re dosha types.?
Great hub! I could complain about being an owl but luckily the husband and kids are all larks so I'm happy the gift of temporary nighttime solitude:) I used to study a little about Ayurveda and also found it interesting that many unusual sleep cycles may pertain as well to your dosha type
Hello fpherj48,
I am busy attending a sleep clinic at the moment and it appears that I may have this DSPS.
They had me keep a record, of my sleep pattern and then hooked me up to a recording device, to see if I had enough oxygen during sleep.
I will write another hub as I get more information.
I sleep soundly too just at weird hours, always have. I want to find out as much as I can about it and will do an interim update soon.
If it is not a problem for you I wouldn't worry.
The sleep apnea is the real problem and although that has been eliminated for me, my wife does have it. She is on a C-Papp machine while sleeping now. So that is at least one good thing that came out of this hub.
Hello fpherj48,
I am busy attending a sleep clinic at the moment and it appears that I may have this DSPS.
They had me keep a record, of my sleep pattern and then hooked me up to a recording device, to see if I had enough oxygen during sleep.
I will write another hub as I get more information.
I sleep soundly too just at weird hours, always have. I want to find out as much as I can about it and will do an interim update soon.
If it is not a problem for you I wouldn't worry.
The sleep apnea is the real problem and although that has been eliminated for me, my wife does have it. She is on a C-Papp machine while sleeping now. So that is at least one good thing that came out of this hub.
molometer..wonderful hub and one that sparks my interest. Sleep has always been easy for me. I am somewhat of a night owl but I don't think I go overboard. Nights when I realize I'm quite tired, I give in and go to bed. I'm up & having coffee by 5 a.m. every morning and regardless of the # of hrs I slept, feel pretty good most mornings. I fall asleep fairly quickly and sleep well throughout the night. I have taken a 3mg. tab of melatonin as I get into bed, for years. Not because I ever had a problem with sleep, but it is a very beneficial supplement for many reasons. If I happen to be out of meatonin, it's no problem. What I'd like to know is what wisdom can you share with me about SOUND sleeping...because if this is considered a "problem," I'm in trouble. All my life I have been accused of being DEAD rather than asleep.lol My Dad was this way and my 4 adult sons are as well. I woke one morning to the aftermath and debris of what I was told was a terrible truck accident. My neighbor told me the impact woke the neighborhood up (really?) there were at least a dozen emergency vehicles, 30 people, lights, sirens...OK. My neighbor then looked at me like I am from Mars and said, "Don't even TELL me you slept thru that!!".....(OK, I won't tell you)..This occured in front of my home under my bedroom window. Because this is a "regular, normal" thing to me, I make nothing of it. I have mentioned this to my Dr. and her response was, "Good for you, I'm jealous." After all these years, should I be interested in finding out what this is all about? I mean, the worse thing that can happen is that 6 men could come into my house and empty it out entirely, to include my bed after they knock me out of it....and I would never know they were here until I want to sit down for my morning coffee.
Thank you Plinka, I am glad you found it useful and interesting.
I'm easy sleeper and definitely an owl, I hate mornings, it usually takes me a lot of time to pull myself together. However, I must practice dance techniques, so I get up early in the morning to do my regular Horton exercises before going to work. It revives me and helps to concentrate during the day. It's not easy for me to fall asleep but when I'm in the nature and I sleep in a tent, it takes me only a couple of minutes. I think, it doesn't matter which type you are if you can live a life which really fits you. It's not easy. People should choose not just a job but a lifestyle, maybe the latter one is more important, because this way they can reduce stress. Useful hub, because it makes other hubbers think.
Hello klurbauer,
Guess what? it's 2.30 am and I am wide awake and busy busy busy. I can't fight it anymore. I am what I am and it seems I am not alone.
Welcome to the ta wit ta woo club.
Thanks for this article. It's nice to know other people deal with the same issues. I'm a definite Owl. I've gotten used to it by now, as I remember lying in bed waiting to fall asleep, even as a small child. My dad always had sleep issues (light sleeping, waking up in the wee hours of the morning) so I can see that sleep issues in general might run in families. Interesting.
Hi alladream,
That's really interesting, I don't thing I have come across that before.
I have been battling my whole life and have almost accepted that I am an Owl and that's that.
I am going to see a sleep specialist in the next few weeks so who knows.
Hope you found it useful. Thanks
Very interesting,I am a bit of both actually,depends on the season!
Hi Vasantha,
Me too, thanks for popping in and leaving your comments. Appreciated.
congratulations for 30 hubs in 30 days. I am a night owl. I find very difficult in getting up in the morning.But it's going on . Thanks for sharing. voted up interesting.
Best wishes.
Hola Dialed,
Hablas como si fueras una broma entonces, y no un búho. Gracias por venir de una lectura y dejar un comentario.
Soy todo lo contrario, siempre tengo sueño y me duermo en 2 minutos no necesito mas, puede haber ruido o mucha luz, ayer fue un ejemplo de esto. Me dormi a la 9pm y me desperte 45 minutos despues de la hora porque no puse la alarma :(
Creo que es la hemoglobina baja que me da mucho sueñooo..... Y el remedio para eso?
Hello phdast7,
I will give it a go and let you know how I get on at the sleep clinic.
I will contact my agent and ask her to start fielding lecturing post's.
Hubpages is virtually the only place I get to converse with other adults on a daily basis.
Thanks for your sound counsel.
Like you, I wouldn't hold out much hope from the sleep clinic, but maybe....? Maybe this is the time to return to lecturing and perhaps obtain a schedule much more suited to your natural rhythm and patters. I has made a huge difference in my life. Best of luck with the clinic, sleeping, and returning to lecturing. :)
Hello phdast7,
Sounds like you got the balance just right.
I qualified originally as a lecturer in FE; which suited me fine for several years.
I switched to high school teaching when my kids came along and like you survived on very little sleep during those years.
Now they have all grown I had been thinking about getting back into college work.
After many years of trying I have discovered that no matter what I do to try to adjust my sleep pattern nothing works.
I am booked into a sleep clinic in a few weeks time, but my own research indicates to me, that they will not be able to change my pattern.
I had been vaguely thinking about getting back into lecturing and you have inspired me to seriously consider this simple change. Thanks
Interesting and useful Hub. I am definitely a night owl and getting up early all those years to get my kids ready for school was a killer, but I did it. Projects, reading, studying, some chores, writing letters were all things I did between 10 and 2. I still had energy, but I made myself go to bed then so I could stumble out of bed at 6:00 in the morning.
Interestingly, the night owl sleep pattern works well with my profession. As a college professor I have some freedom to set my own schedule. So three days a week my first class starts at 1:00pm and two days a week - my early days - my first class starts at 11:00. Of course there are meetings to attend and office hours to keep and so on but basically I have a late morning to early evening schedule. And I love it!
At many colleges and institutions half of the classrooms sit empty after about two in the afternoon. Deans are eager to have faculty who will take the afternoon/early evening slots. Fifteen years ago I even taught the 8:30-10:50 class two nights a week. But after doing that for 7 years I decided it was time for some of the other faculty to take a turn. Now my latest class is through by 6:30pm. Its a great schedule for a night owl who no longer needs to be home with and cook dinner for her children. Excellent Hub.
Well there you go. Carrie,
It is truly astonishing that a thing that we do for a third of out lives is so little understood.
There has been plenty and still is plenty of ongoing research but we are a long way from fully understanding this most vital subject.
Sleep like many other things it seems is on the 'to do' list.
hey molometer that was such an enlightening hub:)) now i know why i cannot get enough sleep at night!! lying down in bed and falling asleep in 2 mins has never happened to me!!
carrie
Hi moonlake,
I know exactly what you mean, as soon as the sun creeps over the windowsill I am off to bed and conk out for 7 hours straight.
Alaska? this is quiet interesting. As Alaska is geographically parallel with the Scandinavian countries where rates of DSPS are higher.
I wake every 4 hours never seem to make it past that. Let that light come through in the morning I'm out like a light.
My Mom said when I was little and they lived in Nome, Alaska my dad would be up playing cards with buddies and I would be right there sitting on his lap.
I am an Owl.
Hello marcoujor,
Thank god for central heating is all I will say lol
Glad you found the hub illuminating.
molometer,
This was fun! Thanks for not "going there" about why some of us gals have a difficult time sleeping... BTW, has someone turned up that heat again (LOL)?!
Anyway, being a nurse and hubbing do allow for me to be an owl and a lark! I am grateful to require less sleep with age!
Voted UP & UFABI-- Congratulations on your recent HubNugget! I will check that out soon, mar!
Have a nice nap. Rip Van Winkle.
Ha Ha funny Alastar, I have at 3 or 4 more hubs on this topic and will load them shortly.
I have actually booked myself into a sleep clinic for next month so that should be fun lol.
Thanks for the visit and comments ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ! lol
ZZZZZZZ...uh, where am I? Oh! Hello molometer; some good info on sleep probs. Wake up every 2 or 3 hours sometimes. Its not snoring, apnea, or the syndrome. Will stay up on your sleep series and see what else you write on it.
Good night or is it Good morning lol
Bony nachos
I really must retire. 3 times you say. O dear. I am knackered though. lol I really must go to bed. Now!
You posted that message three times. Did you fall asleep on the enter button?
Thank you cepheid. I love to have fun. Glad you both enjoyed.
Thanks Hubert. Nite Nite
Happy to be of service. Good night.
Hi cepheid,
Huberts the man hey
And the baby is a sweetie too
thanks for dropping in.
Hubert what can I say
You are a poet
by night or
by day.
See what you did
rhyming it seems
just has no lid
I'm gonna stop
as it's off to
bed I flop
Yes it's that time and I must end this rhyme
lol you crack me up
Thanks Hubert.
I hate to be off-topic but @Hubertsvoice: That's talent man, cooool!
Happy I do not experience trouble in sleeping. The baby pic is really cute.
Indeed, we shall fish the day away in search of the ever elusive zeitgebers. Perhaps longer before be get a bagful. As far as beng a lark or an owl, maybe I am an owlish lark. I can sleep anywhere anytime, in church or school, at work or in the motor pool. I can sleep in the toilet or at the sink. I suppose I should stop this silly rhyming, although it seems to have such lovely timing, don't you think or does it really stink. Do you see what irregular sleep can do? It makes your mind screw with you. OK I'll shut up now. I was gone for a moment, but I'm back now. BYE!!!!
lol Hi Hubert,
now you know why I was still talking to you at 6 am UK time a few weeks ago.
I am definitely an Owl, To wit to woo lol.
You on the other hand must be a lark. To be talking to me on the other side of the planet and the crack of dawn.
Let's go fishing for zeitgebers I want some of that oil for my joints lol.
Hello Beata Stasak,
For me it is liberation after years of feeling out of whack with society.
I now know that it's just my clock and I have found a way to make it work for me.
I love the wee small hours. I come alive after 1 am?
Thanks for the read and I hope it helps you too.
Hi stephaniedas, It's amazing isn't it.
I am an Owl too and feel that finally I have found hubpages where I can work to my clock.
I worked as a taxi driver years ago and always did nights. Tough job but I actually have happy memories of it. Now I know why.
How odd that I had to get on hubpages to finally find that I am built this way.
Thanks for sharing with us.
Can we get a net, catch some zeitgebers, extract their oil and use it to lubricate the metronome so that we can adjust the circadian rhythm? How about that hangy down thing in the back of our throat. Can't we twist it to adjust our time like we would with a watch?
Thanks for your interesting hub, definitely an owl, the night time is my time to ponder about life...to create...to write...
ooh, I'm an owl most definitely. I used to work the night shift at a shelter and did fine. Now I'm trying to do most of my work online. I'm gad to hear that I'm not alone, because most people in my life think I'm crazy or lazy for sleeping late in the morning and staying up late. Great hub, voted up and a whole bunch of other things!
Hello Jen, You are Lowl lol well done. S'pose it's better than being a Ark!
Interesting that you have to sleep before 11 pm or you end up pulling an all-nighter?
The clock in the hub gives a clue as to why this may be happening!
Curiouser and curiouser said Alice:)
Well I suppose you could be a LOWL or an ARK lol.
I wonder if there is a middle group Hmm!
I know pilots have to be extra cautious and have been in accidents down to poor sleep patterns?
Congratulations on the great news. See you soon.
Hello rosemay,
That must have been tough 6 months of nights when you are a lark.
I hope this hub helped make some sense.
Thanks for the share. If fact my dad was on permanent nights for years. Luckily he was an Owl too.
Thanks Leroy, It is weird hey?
I am a Lark, a farmer's watchman, early riser, in fact I start to freak out if it is past 11pm and I am still up then I tend to lie awake all night, so am I a lowl? This was a well written hub for every question raised there was the answer in the next text. I do look forward to the other hubs related to sleep as you mentioned. Awesome
What if your neither a Lark nor an Owl?
Morning Michael
I am a lark but my partner is definitely a night owl. He worked as a nurse with disabled people and so was always happy to take the night shifts.
I once worked nights for 6 months, it wasn't for me by the end of the 6 months I was having to sleep 12 hours a day so had little time for anything else. It was good money but I had to give it up for my health.
Good informational hub
Interesting. I am definitely an owl.
Hi Kim,
You said it! Who knew there was so much to getting a good nights sleep.
I have another 4 hubs on the subject almost ready to publish. lol
We should get together more often and call it something appropriate. 'Sleepy Corner' or 'The Good Kip Inn'
I too was up all night thinking up those two names.:)
Thanks for the lovely comments, I like writing slightly tongue in cheek. Especially if the information is not particularly joyous.
Being told you have an incurable condition is tough enough.
Looking forward to reading more of your work, you are a great writer.
Cepheid glad you left a comm ha ha lol
Nicely done, molometer. You'd think, between the two of us, we'd have the sleep issues topic pretty well covered, but apparently sleep is much more complicated than I had suspected. Now, I'll be up all night trying to figure it all out. Thanks for the info...and the link; and I liked the bio clock pic and the mugshot of melatonin:)
Ahaha good one. =)
Hey I'm Kidding Guys
Are you tired all the time. Read this it will send you to sleep. :)
molometer Hub Author 10 days ago
Hello RealHousewife,
Thank you so much for your warm comments. That is the great thing about hubpages. We can find many ways to understand a topic in greater detail.
When teaching, I often put forward several versions of the same information as people learn in different ways.
Some are more visual etc.
You are right. Our hubs compliment each other. Thanks for adding it in.