Delayed Sleep Phase Disorder (DSPD)

[traderwithpois]

Not sure if any of you are aware of this or suffer from it, but for well over a decade, actually since right around the time my POIS started in college, my sleep schedule became delayed (normal wake time is noon or later, and sleep time is 4 AM or later) and no matter what i do i cannot change it.  Even when i worked 9-5 jobs i felt like crap during the day and slept in on weekends to catch up.  DSPD causes a lot of feelings similar to "jet lag", fatigue, lack of energy, depression, anxiety, headaches, irritability, etc.  I still never feel like i get deep, restful sleep even though i now have a CPAP machine and the apnea numbers are generally within a healthy range nowadays.

Long story short, after finding out that Delayed Sleep Phase is its own "disease" so to speak (actually more like a disorder of the Circadian Rythym or a Syndrome of various resulting symptoms) i finally found a good doctor who knows what it is and is helping me to treat it with melatonin, light therapy, and gradual schedule adjustment.

My current treatment is still early days.  I may need stimulant medication to help wake up earlier.  But i feel that it may ultimately help to further alleviate POIS symptoms

[Muon]

Mast cell activation in the pineal gland leading to altered melatonin production and/or shifted circadian rythm.

[Investigator]

I am fine going to sleep early, it's just that while in POIS, I sleep a lot and then still feel sleepy.

But what is interesting to me is that my POIS always starts in the morning as I wake up. Moreover, it always starts after a heavy sleep state. Let's say I have an O in the evening but then in the next morning, I have to wake up very early. Then my POIS may get delayed until the morning the next day.   

[b_jim]

One thing I'm 100% convinced after 25+ years of Pois is the neurotransmitter(s) of the circadian rhythm is THE SAME causing the Pois dream-like symptom.

It's not a coincidence if lot of Poisers talk about "jet lag effect".

[traderwithpois]

An update.

Over the summer I had what you might call a ?nervous breakdown?.  I had insomnia for over a week and I was gripped with fear and extreme anxiety.  The upshot of all this was that afterwards, I started waking up VERY early, like 4am, 5am, 6am and I felt great, better than in years.

Now my sleep schedule has ?normalized? to where I wake up anywhere from 8 to 10. 

I have more energy and alertness when I wake up early, as opposed to waking up in the afternoon. 

I can?t yet say that it has cured my POIS, but it helps a lot

[swell]

sleeping well, and a good deep sleep, will cure a lot of diseases.  It makes sense. 

An update.

Over the summer I had what you might call a ?nervous breakdown?.  I had insomnia for over a week and I was gripped with fear and extreme anxiety.  The upshot of all this was that afterwards, I started waking up VERY early, like 4am, 5am, 6am and I felt great, better than in years.

Now my sleep schedule has ?normalized? to where I wake up anywhere from 8 to 10. 

I have more energy and alertness when I wake up early, as opposed to waking up in the afternoon. 

I can?t yet say that it has cured my POIS, but it helps a lot