Living with Delayed Sleep Phase Syndrome

I am so relieved: my New Year’s resolution was to sort myself out in terms of sleeping hours. I knew that as many many years before this would be a nightmare, so I googled ’sleeping rhythm’ just in case I’d find any tips for becoming a better sleeping person. Instead I found that I am a text-book case of this sleeping disorder, and have been for 15 years.

I have had a 4-5am to 12-1pm sleeping schedule since I was a teenager. No matter how early I have to get up on weekdays, on weekends and holidays my schedule always springs back. About a year ago I got so fed up with smug well-sleeping friends and their judgements that I was determined to change. I went to bed every night at 10pm and got up every morning at 8am without fail, even at weekends. After nearly 2 months, I still wasn’t getting to sleep until 4am and I was a walking zombie (with continual, often mid-conversation memory blanks). I eventually gave up and started sleeping late again on weekends.

Knowing that I have a sleep disorder that isn’t called ‘the lazy syndrome’ doesn’t make my sleep rhythm any easier. But somehow it makes me feel more empowered to tackle the problem, and it makes me feel a lot better about myself.