# I can't stick to a normal sleep schedule to save my life



## GD8 (May 7, 2011)

I've been like this since I was a little kid and it's just been a constant problem for me, probably more so than my anxiety. I can stick to a normal 7am - 11pm schedule for maybe 2-3 weeks before it becomes impossible to sleep, I just end up staying up later and later until I'm sleeping in the day and staying up at night. Anyone else have this problem? What can you even do about it?


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## One Man Wolfpack (Aug 11, 2011)

Yep I've had this for several years, I had to drop out of college because of it. I ended up going to a sleep clinic and I was diagnosed with Delayed Sleep Phase Syndrome, they prescribed me melatonin which helped a little but not much.

When you're sleeping in the day and up at night, will your sleep pattern stay like that or will you keep going to sleep later until you're back at a normal sleep pattern again? If that makes sense.

If so it could be non-24-hour sleep-wake disorder.


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## tehuti88 (Jun 19, 2005)

I'm similar, and yes, have been like this most of my life. I broke my nocturnal habits finally when I had a bad cold and ended up sleeping at night, but lately I've been exhausted all day long (hoping to see a doctor soon about it), yet awake at night, so my sleep schedule is starting to get messed up again. 

I really do not get it.


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## GaaraAgain (Oct 10, 2011)

I have the same problem. It's like being a night owl to the extreme. All I can do to battle it are meds for sleep and caffeine to keep me awake during the day.


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## tehuti88 (Jun 19, 2005)

GaaraAgain said:


> All I can do to battle it are meds for sleep and caffeine to keep me awake during the day.


Urgh, I use both sleeping pills and caffeine but no amount of caffeine keeps me awake...nor energy drinks... -_-

By now I doubt I even need the sleeping pills...


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## PillsHere (Feb 22, 2012)

I think mine is due to nightly activities. If I'm doing something at night, say playing a video game and get really into it, even if I'm dead tired I'll continue playing it until early hours in the morning until I almost literally pass out. 

For some reason, I can never avoid it...I can go a few days/weeks with a good 5-6am - 10pmish pattern, but there's those nights I just stay up all night and that schedule flies out the window. The only way I can restore it is to try forcing myself to stay up through the entire following day and then crash at night.


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## JoeyJoeJoeJrShabadoo (Sep 19, 2012)

I usually have to get up at 7 but no matter what I do I just feel so anxious the night before that I can't fall asleep till 2 or 3 in the morning. Then I end up feeling tired all day long.


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## Alf (Jun 22, 2011)

its one of my biggest issues tbh i lost my job recently because of it been having the issues since i was a little toddler but they are just getting more severe each year passing


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## Killer2121 (Jul 12, 2012)

I used this over the counter sleeping pill called Melatonin. I bought it from Wal Mart, it helps.


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## Insider (Sep 17, 2012)

Had this problem ever since I stopped going to college. I think I ended up like this because with no school/college/job I could stay up as long as I wanted to. I do keep telling myself that I will get back to a normal sleep schedule, and sometimes I do for a couple of days but then I'll end up staying up to like 4-5am because I didn't feel like going to bed and everything is messed up again.


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## Alf (Jun 22, 2011)

Insider thats pretty similiar to what i do aswell ive tried meds they just dont work at all there seems to be good periods which are few and short and bad periods which are long and happen frequently but in the end if you never have anything to wake up to you are never going to feel forced to go to bed at night and just sitting home has so many negative things for ones sleeping patterns


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## komorikun (Jan 11, 2009)

I have this problem too. I have this one class that starts at 11am (so I have to wake up at 10am) twice a week. I'm so exhausted those 2 days of the week. I just always end up staying up till 3 or 4am.


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## Philosophical Ponderer (Apr 29, 2011)

I had this problem as well my entire life. Was diagnosed with sleep apnea, then delayed sleep phase syndrome, and most recently non-24 hour sleep wake disorder.
Tried all kinds of sleeping pills, nothing really helped for any substantial amount of time. At the moment I am kind of lucky as my job is a split shift 2 days and 2 nights so my terrible sleep schedule kinda works for me now. 
If you need an aid to stay awake and try to reset your sleep schedule, try asking your doctor for Provigil, or Nuvigil the new version. I take provigil on a regular basis and while I still dont get anywhere near enough sleep, I can function and stay awake throughout the day. It makes all the difference for me.


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