Thread: Managing my DSPS

I have finally managed to fall asleep at night! Going to my cousins baby shower helped great to keep me awake. I fell asleep at 10:30 pm and woke up this morning at 7 am. When I woke up I was half expecting it to be night time, then when I saw it was morning I was like "Holy crap no way!" like I almost couldn't believe it. It's such an odd feeling to wake up in the morning, its like I should feel refreshed and stuff but my brain is like "Wait, this light is telling me that I'm supposed to be going to sleep, but I'm waking up....ehhhh" haha unhappy brain. This strangeness will last for a while, but I'm just glad I finally managed to sleep at night. My schedule will be officially considered fixed for now when I manage to fall asleep around the same time tonight and wake up in the morning like today. Heres hoping meanwhile, I wanna talk I'm going to use this day to finally go food shopping because I have been living off hot cereal and popcorn for the last week because I couldn't manage to go shopping when my favorite store is open. I like to wake up fully and stretch after I get up and by the time I'm invigorated and ready to go the store is closed, so I can finally have good food. Other then that I have nothing to do today.

Haha, those are some cute cats c: . But why don't you own them anymore?

I had to move and the place I moved to doesn't allow pets. I'm in a place now where I can have pets, I just have to save up for the pet deposit.

Wow, congrats! It must be pretty tough for you to do that, I couldn't imagine totally flipping my sleep schedule... and uh... I also never thought I would be congradulating someone for having a normal sleep schedule xD but whatever. I feel happy because I had a lucid 'nap' dream today, it was very fragmented and foggy, but for not doing any LD work for 3 months straight, I think it's pretty good (I think'll take a while for me to be having super vivid and clear dreams like I was having before, and a bit longer to have a super clear, long, lucid dream).

Congrats I had a lucid nap too lol I usually wake up between 4 and 6 and I have been drowsy all day, then my brain won and I fell asleep at 2 and slept til 5. I think it will be ok though, it was only 3 hours and it's 5 hours from 5 to 10 so hopefully it doesn't keep me up.

I'm sure it'll be no time before you have vivid dreams before long. Thanks for the congrats.

Hooray! That's awesome that you got your schedule switched back around Now comes the hard part of trying to keep it that way and not reverting back

They definitely have night classes for kids, but they're more like supplements to day classes, extra study and all that. I used to go to them when I was younger and my mom worked while my dad was off deployed during Desert Storm, they were pretty fun but they were run by actual teachers.

Originally Posted by DarkKiky0

It's been so great having these talks with you . It makes a world of difference to have someone to talk to about all this, it's all just been building up inside. Feelings need to be released, it's not healthy for things to build up like that, you know. I used to let my feelings build up when I was younger, but then I would have moments where my feelings would overflow then explode and things got very ugly. It's been bothering me not being able to talk about this, hurray I also think it is so crazy how many similarities we have with this. This is all very refreshing for me.

Me tooooooo! I've always tried making threads on other forums I'm on for DSPS/Non-24, and I never got any responses. Figures though that I should find others in a dreaming forum hehe. It's just one of those things that's hard to talk about with people who don't have it, so many people write it off as just insomnia or depression or laziness... there needs to be support groups for it because that would be awesome.

Yes that would indeed be awesome! Thanks for letting me know about those night classes by the way, I never would have known that otherwise.

I was really worried that I wouldn't get an responses either, even though I'm on a dreaming site I thought people would be like "ya I don't know what that is" and just move on. Most probably have lol but there were two others who didn't know and posted responses so renewed hope here lol

Also, may I just say: It's a quarter after one, I'm all alone, and I JUST CAN'T SLEEP! all that work for nothing!! I just, I just want to sleep is that too much to ask brain?? Is it?!?

Definitely go up to the college you're planning to go to and find the career counselor. Most all colleges have one that helps students find jobs in their field of study that fits them, they'd probably know about any evening/night schools in the area and would tell you what all you'd need to qualify for a job like that

Originally Posted by DarkKiky0

Also, may I just say: It's a quarter after one, I'm all alone, and I JUST CAN'T SLEEP! all that work for nothing!! I just, I just want to sleep is that too much to ask brain?? Is it?!?

Hehe I definitely know that feeling It was probably that nap you took! But you got a lucid dream out of it, so that's a plus. Hey, do you use a lighting program for your computer? The glow on a screen can throw off your circadian rhythm, if you browse the internet a lot before bed you should definitely try one out! I use this one called f.lux

That stupid nap! It was a complete accident. I'm glad for the lucid dream though The computer screen light messes it up? That program called f.lux, does it make it dimmer or different? That might be something to try, can I find it by looking it up? Is it free? I never thought about the light of my computer.

Yep it's free. Here's a link: f.lux: software to make your life better

It changes the light of your computer screen to fit different types of light, you can change it to like halogen or fluorescent or in-between, and then it will slowly change your screen back to its normal brightness when the sun comes up. I have mine set on halogen so it gives my computer a kind of dim slightly orange hue. It's a bit odd at first but you get used to it quickly, and my eyes feel much better when I use it at night (especially with the house lights off)

Gaaaasp :O that is so awsome! Thanks It's like an orange creamsickle is massaging my eyes with happiness and love :3 I didn't notice how sore they were until I downloaded f.lux, they are now healing haha

On a different note, I am going to try the method of only sleeping about 3 or 4 hours the next I fall asleep and hopefully by the time night comes I will be so tired I will fall asleep at the right time. Hopefully this will work, I was so excited this morning when I woke up to the morning sun.

I managed to sleep for 5 hours this morning. I woke up about 4 or 5 times though, trying to wake up for good at about 3 hours of sleep. I woke up on the right amount of time, but kept falling back to sleep and every 30 minuets I got woken back up until I had slept 5 hours. It's only an hour off of the tried for time and I was up and about at 11 o'clock. Tomorrow I HAVE to wake up before 8am because I have my diagnostic test for math at 9am and this is the last time I can do it or I won't be able to take classes this fall semester. If I don't make it for the test I will blow a mental gasket

You can do itttttttttt! Are you awake now? Your test is soon! *pokepoke*

Haha I went to sleep at midnight last night and woke up at 4:30 on my own. I have to leave in 15 minuets and right now I'm just waiting for breakfast to finish so I can eat in 3 minuets before leaving brain food is important. Hope I do good, so thrilled I actually managed to keep my schedule fixed after all that and I'm finally going to take the test would have updated faster but my power went out at 5:30 and came back on just in time for me to take a shower at 7:20, that was frustrating, wass starting to think the world was working against me.

Yay! Hopefully you make a good score. And hopefully your mind isn't so tired out from all that maths that you fall asleep after the test and mess up your schedule haha I'm not sure what a diagnostic test is, is that the thing you take to determine which level math course you get placed in?

Ya you have to take a diagnostic when you make a low grade on the entry tests. My reading was 97, my writing was 94, and my math was 27 so I had to take a diagnostic to see what math I have to take and I have to take ALL 5 remedial math courses and pass them all in order to take college level math. I have always hated math, always. Now you know why lol I suck at it.

I'm not tired at all actually, thank goodness. I should be able to fall asleep at the right time tonight from my lack of sleep these last couple nights. Tomorrow I have to meet with an advisor at 3:30 to set up my class schedule and set up a payment method for the classes then all will be done and hopefully I don't totally blow at collage again. My main worry has been to take the diagnostic tests and that's over, so my worries have eased.

Yesh, I'm definitely no good with math either. I can eventually get it, but it takes me twice as long as most people because I've got some weird dyslexic thing where I constantly switch numbers around without realizing it, so I always have to go back and re-check my work a bunch of times When I took my math placement test my first time in college, I was put in Intermediate Algebra. Not sure if it was a remedial class, but I remember it was definitely on the low end of the math classes. But that sucks that you have to take 5+ math classes! How boring and unfun Hopefully all the classes and studying at the same times every day can keep your sleep schedule on track though!

Originally Posted by DarkKiky0

I have been told by a doctor that they thought I had insomnia, but over a period of study they realized what it was. I'm not the only one with this so they didn't just make this term up when they found out what my problem was, there are significant differences between DSPS and insomnia. If you don't believe me then look it up. Also, part of the definition of insomnia is "Insomnia can occur at any age, but it is particularly common in the elderly. Insomnia can be short term (up to three weeks) or long term (above 3–4 weeks), which can lead to memory problems, depression, irritability and an increased risk of heart disease and automobile related accidents." It happens in bouts and is not constant and results in memory loss. I have an excellent memory, I have a problem with falling asleep itself, not sleeping in general as in I can only fall asleep when my internal clock is set to, unless I manage it the way I have mentioned. I fall sleep everyday and don't have days and days of sleeplessness. My boyfriend has had insomnia before, it only lasted almost a month and has never bothered him again, and it was triggered by an outside influence. DSPS is genetic, as in I was born with it. If you are going to be difficult and try to tell me what I do and don't have then you have no business on my thread. Sorry for being so forward but I have no patience for people like you. I'm not here to argue or discuss whether or not I have this, I know I have it and I'm here to discuss a way to keep it managed. Please stop being difficult, I deal with enough people like you in person.

well cool. I've had problems falling asleep for 20 something years. it's insomnia to me. patience is a virtue. Sometimes I go 2-3 nights without falling asleep. I wish I could sleep every night. your doctors tell you what you do have but you have patience for them??? I don't get it.

well cool. I've had problems falling asleep for 20 something years. it's insomnia to me. patience is a virtue. Sometimes I go 2-3 nights without falling asleep. I wish I could sleep every night. your doctors tell you what you do have but you have patience for them??? I don't get it.

Not complete patience but when you're symptoms match something perfectly, and only some symptoms of another, then I'm pretty sure you have the one they match perfectly. I also have all but one symptom of a narcoleptic but I don't have that either. Sucks that you can't sleep every night, that sounds like bad insomnia if it lasted for 20 years.

Yesh, I'm definitely no good with math either. I can eventually get it, but it takes me twice as long as most people because I've got some weird dyslexic thing where I constantly switch numbers around without realizing it, so I always have to go back and re-check my work a bunch of times When I took my math placement test my first time in college, I was put in Intermediate Algebra. Not sure if it was a remedial class, but I remember it was definitely on the low end of the math classes. But that sucks that you have to take 5+ math classes! How boring and unfun Hopefully all the classes and studying at the same times every day can keep your sleep schedule on track though!

Gladly I found out today that I don't have to take them all at the same time. They each last for one month then I go onto the next one. So very glad for that haha. Oh wow dyslexia, that sucks. On a happy note you could be a demi-god from greek mythology jk lol my sleep schedule is confusing right now. It's like my brain doesn't want to take this time. I fall asleep late in the night for around 4 hours then I nap for another 3 or 4 hours around mid to late in the day then I'm up until late night again. This is sucky and weird. I think I have confused my brain somehow.

My schedule has officially gone back to being completely messed up and back to where my internal clock wants it.

Well that sucks. Does your college have night courses or anything? I know lots of the bigger universities have classes you can take at like 8-10pmish but they would always go super fast because full-time workers would snatch up those classes before I could grab them. Hopefully you can train your brain to listen to you before classes start.

I am hoping I can. I managed to fall asleep from 7-10:30pm last night after an 8 hour sleep that morning, which is odd. Hoping it's enough to keep me up, my classes start Monday. No this collage doesn't have night classes, all my classes are from 8am-12 noon Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, then I start working a part time job on Tuesday and Thursday for 8 hours. It's a financial aid that will pay my tuition and give me some cash too. Such a packed schedule should force my brain to follow orders, usually when I get jobs it makes it a little easier.

How goes your classes and such? Is it keeping your sleep schedule on track now?

Ah god damn sorry for my lack of posts, I always get derailed from lucid dreaming... But im not gonna let it happen this time. Anyway, yesterday was a sad day... found a dying baby squirel on my inside front porch, me and mom tried to keep it alive, brought it in, put it in a nice little box, fed it water through a droper... but unfortunantly it didnt make it. We werent expecting him too, he seemed pretty weak when we found him, we were just trying out best and hopin he would make it until morning where we would take him to a wild-life hospital. Oh well... anyway, I gotta ge back on track with my LDing...