Cure for my disorder!?

I am not familiar with circadian rhythmn disorder, but from my understanding of circadian rhythmns, they can be changed, can’t they?

Have you tried proper bedtime rituals, not doing ANYTHING in your bed other than trying to sleep, relaxation techniques, meditation, etc?

Extreme will power can be your cure.

I’m not saying it’ll be something to magically snap out of… but I mean… force yourself to lay there? Do everythign imaginable to get to sleep?

Stay awake during the day if it means constantly excercising and keeping your body in motion?

I don’t know, it would seem that in extreme circumstances (sleep deprivation) you could force your body to let you sleep during the night, and then sleeping patterns would adjust?

Maybe taking melatonin at night?

Excercising?

I don’t know… it isn’t so bad being abnormal… if it’s incurable I’m sure you’d grow to be accustomed to it.

Maybe you could try napping during the day some… or something? You can adjust a “normal” schedule to fit naps in?

have u ever tried considering going to the other side of the world…like honk kong…since your sleep time aint right…

I am not a doctor but, I work with a lot of people with various disabilities. Though, I have never come across anyone who suffers from your particular symptom to that extent. Has anyone considered a medication called Provigil(Developed to treat sleep apnea). Some people with similar problems have found it to be helpful. I understand It is now used to help people with a variety of sleep disturbances and well as depression and chronic fatigue syndrome. All of which is an off labile use in the US but, doctors still use it anyway and report good results. From what I under stand it helps people boost there energy during the day and reacts in some way with the absence of light at night time that allows people to fall asleep easier at night. Just a thought. Talk to your doctor about it.

Ahh yes, provigil. Tried it. Didn’t work for me one bit. “The non-amphetimine amphetimine” my doctor calls it.

I use my bed for nothing besides sleeping, I don’t even sit in it or anything. I do try napping during the day but then I end up not being able to sleep at night. (I can sleep at night not very well… not very restfull). Also, I found that it has something to do with processing sunlight, because wherever I am (I have traveled to asia, and all around the world). I adjust to the schedule, But the same thing happens. At night I begin to become awake, and during the day I become sleepy… So sunlight definately has something to do with it.

I figured you already tried it but I thought I would mention it just in case. Hang in there I am sure you will find a way to overcome your barriers. I think the person who will find an answer will be you. I mean you are probably the bet expert on your condition, probably even more so than your doctors. Is there any way you can work around it. Don’t worry about what you can’t do. emphasize and build on what you can do and creative. You will find a way. I wish you the best of luck.

maybe u should move to the opposite side of the world

I don’t think it works that way. I think it is light that is the issue not time.
I could be wrong.

Sounds right to me. Otherwise people would only ever be able to sleep in the timezone that they were born in. I imagine your brain adjusts it’s circadian rhythm based on light/dark cycles.

It’s quite an interesting disorder, and one that isn’t easy to advise on. If the help they provided upon diagnosing you hasn’t worked, then I wouldn’t favor our chances of offering any more effective suggestions. Good luck with it, though.

This is the first post I have ever posted. I just wanted to mention that I have the same exact problem. I am inclined to stay up at night and sleep during the day. Its not so bad now that I leared about lucid dreaming. I havn’t had any yet, but just practicing WILD and MILD has helped my sleep problems quite a bit. I’m sure that won’t always be the case. In a usual week, I won’t sleep four or five of the nights. I will either stay up the next day and fall asleep the next night, or I will fall asleep at about noon that day and wake up at about 9:00 and stay up all night again. I find it really easy to fall asleep the next day, my sleep patern will stay the same if I start to sleep during the day, but if its at night, it never ends up staying normal. Never heard of the disorder though, maybe I should go see a doctor about it, I went to a doctor once and he told me I will sleep when I sleep. That was some bad advice.

Actually there is a “cure” that I’ve already tried. Its called a light-box. You use it first thing in the morning and it’s supposed to switch around your schedule. However- I find when I use this thing i feel very drained all day even more so than I am and I still have difficulty sleeping at night (if even more difficulty). I tried using it for about 2 weeks, no success. I asked my sleep doctor when It should start working and he said I should have noticed the effects pretty much instantaneously.

Since the light box treatment made things worse. I am wondering if doing the opposite would help. Spend some time in darkness during the day if that would help. Just a thought.

Heh, I’ve thought about that before… never actually tried it. theres not enough darkness in the day to do that. and even if there was- Darkness = Depression.

There has to be some place you can go that is dark. Even if it means creating a set up in a large closet or some thing.

Good Luck and don’t give up. You will find a way.

.:Illusion:., when you sleep in the day do you cover your eyes? Do you use a pillow or your arm to cover your eyes? Do you have a room darkening shade or dark room?
Or do you sleep better when the light is bright?
Do you feel more refreshed when you sleep in the day? or at night?

I suspect I may have a similar situation. I don’t recall ever having a normal sleeping schedule. As far as I can think back (primary school) I had a problem sleeping at night, and stayed sleepy during the day.
My most sleepy times seem to be around ~5pm.

It really does suck, and it’s hard to try to live with. I’ve never tried to find a diagnosis or medications. I can maybe maintain a night based sleep schedule for about a week.

First I tried to place blame. When I was a kid it was TV, and as a teenage it was staying out too late, and now I guess I can blame it on the computer. I don’t think it’s too helpful to place blame, because even during power outages in icestorms I find myself staying up and enjoying the night.
So peaceful. :content:
Less people on the roads and in stores. It’s a whole new world at night, and I love it. I don’t want it to change, and I like that the world has now accomidated the night people. :smile: I find it shocking in the day time now. It’s like I’m missing the progression of the city. In the day loud construction takes place, busy traffic clogs the street, rude people get angry on the roads, stores have long lines, kids run wild and unsupervised, and I feel like I’m in a rat race.

Maybe it’s not a disorder, but an adaptation for some humans to take advantage of the night time. The population is growing, and can you imagine how crowded it would be if the night people were awake for once in the daytime. :tongue:

You know, DreamAddict- I agree with you completely. Its not the computer, its not TV, its not staying out too late… Its just at night I become so full of life and energetic. I really am a vampire.

I am rarely allowed to sleep during the day (although if I’m tired enough I’ll do it anyway) but when I do. I don’t cover my eyes at all. My room unfortunately is extremely bright, and I have plantation shutters in them. (I don’t know if you know what that is, but they are blinds made of wood that has a bar in the center… you can pull it down so the wood flaps are facing outward, or push it up so the wood flaps are flat.) It let’s in a LOT of light. One time I covered up my windows with blankets and I slept really well, but then my dad yelling at me because he’s satan.

I definately feel more refreshed when I sleep during the day. I Have that energetic “buzz” for a little while sometimes- But It doesn’t last too long if I was extremely tired before the nap.

My most sleepy times are from the moment I wake up, till about 4-5 Oclock… Im still a little bit sleepy… But its pretty amazing (And now thinking about it, maybe its psychological…) When the sun sets, and its dark outside… The air is just… different- Its fresh, Its wonderful… Peaceful, I become fascinated with the feelings I get, I become so energetic and happy. (You have to keep in mind, When Im tired im not happy… So why would I want to sleep through my hapiness period?) The only thing that really motivates me to sleep anymore is dreaming. At least that helps a little bit, but sometimes thats not enough.

try a sleep mask, i sleep with one on 'cause light disturbs me in the morning and i can’t get back to sleep. a sleep mask helped to improve my sleep a lot (and you can leave your precious blinds alone and not get yelled at by your dad :yinyang: )

Wait, you were supposed to use your light box right after you woke up? That doesn’t sound right. Since you produce melatonin in light, shouldn’t the light box be used before bedtime??

That is exactly why I suggested spending some time in darkness in the morning in stead. I know it sounds like a simplistic solution but, it just might help a little.

I totally agree do not allow this to be a disability. Find a way to use it to your advantage.

Good luck

Is the thingy triggered by your eyesight or by the sunlight on your skin?
(sunglasses/clothes that cover you completely as remedies, respectively)

You should stay covered during the day and expose yourself to as much light as possible during the night (lightbox a while before you go to sleep, hell, read a book in there)

Well good luck and tell us if you’re going to try it…

And yes, the night can be beautiful…
By the way what does serotonin do again? I already have melatonin sleeping pills so I know one of them.

The light box is triggered by eyesight. Its not because of your skin. Its supposed to be a strong amount of simulated sunlight which shuts off melatonin. doing this at night would be bad if it were to actually work because then I wouldn’t be able to get to sleep. Seratonin is a chemical that keeps you awake.

I love the “keep yourself covered” with clothing, and be in the dark- I know what I’ll do, I’ll just walk around in a dark black robe with sunglasses.