"Don't Wanna Sleep/Wake Up" disorder

[Fierce Critter]

I am having so much trouble convincing myself to get to sleep. I'm reluctant to even take the steps I know might get me sleepy. I just don't feel like it.

But then, I'm having trouble - worse trouble - convincing myself to get out of bed before 1:00 p.m. I wake up at 11:00 or so, which would still be kinda late but not as bad, but convince myself I should shut my eyes and try to sleep until 1:00 has come and gone.

I don't think I'm depressed. Things are going pretty good. Money is very, very tight, which is of some concern. But it's mostly 'cause we had move-in expenses this month (triple auto insurance, utility start-up, etc.) and caught-up some bills we were behind on. Which are all good things. It's not like we have creditors beating down our door - far from it. We're breaking even, and I have eBay selling again, which helps massively.

But it dawned on me today that I don't like being in this apartment alone. I'm fine once Jon is home. But when he's at work, I almost feel scared. Staying awake until 3:00 a.m. or so, he's there beside me. Sleeping and snoring, grant you, but there. And if I sleep until 1:00 or beyond, it's that much closer to when he'll be home.

I dunno. This is weird. And it's killing my motivation. Big time.

Sigh.

I'm so happy to be back in Michigan. You just don't know. But I'm so happy to be back, it's confounding me why I'm feeling/acting this way.

[saechalyn]

It could just be the transition...even though you're feeling good about being in MI, it's still a big change. Any kind of change always wreaks havoc on my sleep...and it takes me forever to get used to sleeping in a new place.

I hope it gets better

[Fierce Critter]

Thanks. I hadn't thought of that...

I think part of it, too, might be just how trashed this place is. We usually get our furniture from yard sales or "curbside shopping". Well, we haven't had the $$ for yard sales, and with gas prices, we're not junking as much as we used to. We picked up a few things at first, but after the first couple weeks back, we couldn't get much else.

I am still living amongst boxes and boxes and boxes. And some things that might make being in this place more enjoyable didn't make it through the move, like our CD player & turntable.

I have 6 boxes of books packed up. No place to put my cookbooks either. No place to organize CD's (I'm so anal about that, and they're all strewn about in stacks on a coffee table around our stereo).

I've organized as much as I can organize - there's just no place to put anything else.

Sigh. The more I look around me (I'm downstairs on the main floor) the more I can see why I don't want to get out of bed. The upstairs (one giant loft bedroom) is fairly organized, if still there are a few boxes around here and there. But this downstairs area is just chaos. It makes me tired just looking at it.

At least I'm COOKING. But crap I'd rather not feed my hardworking husband - lots of "warm it up" foods, and not the fresh meat & potatoes meals I cook happily when I have an organized, work-inable kitchen.

Well, maybe one spot of hope. Jon got his company vehicle today. No more spending $100 a week on gasoline, so maybe we'll be able to afford to do more curbside shopping and I can find some of what I need to finish organizing this hellhole.

Sigh. Maybe.

[Scary Guy]

I've always had the same problem. I just accept that I hate the sun and perfer to be up at night.

[Onyx]

I do that too. Sometimes the only way for me to get back on the sleep cycle I need to be on is to stay up for an entire night doing stuff I want to get done and be exhausted the next day, then go to bed early.

I seem to need to do this at least once a month.

Other things that have helped me are taking a long bath before bed, making my bed as inviting as possible with big soft pillows and fluffy flannel sheets. Damn I'm getting sleepy and I still have 8 hours before I get off work, heh.

[kellygrrrrrl]

Perhaps getting together with some folks during the day might help you feel not so alone. Invite someone over. Do you have children during the day?

[Daevion]

I can't sleep at night either.....I stayed up till midnight last night and had to be up 0430 in the morning....altough in this case I blame ghost recon 2 summit strike for xbox.

[Scary Guy]

I've got a good theory about this. Society SUCKS and being thrown into the time constraints of it is stupid. People have naturally different sleep cycles and I think it is probably unhealthy to adapt to different ones. It's a sun world, people work when the sun is up (better lighting and all that crap). I can't even drive in it it's so bright. I have to wait and drive away from it if possible. Yeah work is only 8 hours and so is the normal ammount of sleep you need to "function properly". However take into account overtime and extended overtime and a life other than work, and if anyone sleeps exactly 8 they're a mutant freak. Things will get off track pretty easilly. Especially with going to the club till 2 in the morning heh (4:30 for the infidels).

[Onyx]

I've got a good theory about this.  Society SUCKS and being thrown into the time constraints of it is stupid.  People have naturally different sleep cycles and I think it is probably unhealthy to adapt to different ones.

Yes, I do hate the rigid schedules I have to keep. I recall reading some things about circadian rhythms and how getting off balance with this can wreak havoc with your body.

My sleep needs seem to vary also. Sometimes I am fine with 6 or less hours of sleep and sometimes I need a whole lot more. I like to sleep more in winter and less in summer. If I had my way I'd stay up till at least 3 a.m.

Maybe some of us actually have noctural genes.

[JaneDead]

i am having the exact same problem right now critter. i can't go to sleep at night but then when morning comes i can't seem to wake up! my husband's AWFUL snoring is not helping me go to sleep either. last night i laid there a good hour just nudging him and staring at him telling him to stop it- even though he could not hear me of course - wondering if he were to ever shut up would that help me go to sleep?? i guess i will never know.

it is really hard to cuz i have my 2 littles ones and my son to get off to school and i just can't wake up. i feel so exhausted- like i never slept at all. i find that i am not sleeping but rather laying in bed for a good hour or two in the am when i normally would be up with my kids.

i hope you find something that helps you and you get a good night's rest soon. and i hope i get the same.

[cptdeath]

you know, I've allways had that problem myself. I honestly think it's atmospheric

exclusive to michigain.

I know when i travel to like say Flordia its 9:00 bed time jus cause it's dark out.

I allways considered myself nocturnal I often thought it was to do with being born at night or with yellow jandis where they put you under that red light after your born. but after much researsh into this problem I see it's related to region and enviromeant.

many folks suffer in a similar fashion here but not in most other parts of the world.

they say insomnia is either physical like a respitory problem or headache, or emotional. you can't stop thinking or fantasizing enough to sleep.

i think there are gohsts and shit. when your there in the dark do you feel something watching you, do you feel the shadow moving in the dark over your head? sometimes you'll feel cobwebs or spiderwebs touching your face and the hairs on your arm stand up. its not spider webs is it? turn the lights on

sleep with the lights on if thats the case. I have a pet lizard or two so i have an excuse to have a heat lamp on not a night light.

gargoyles are more then decorations. they often don't work though. but on occasion i have noticed them being usefull :fear

[Guest Game of Chance]

I don't know...but that fucking clown who grabbed my cell phone at work showed up Monday with the flu or something. Of course, I woke up in the middle of the night last night with a fever and coughing uncontrollably. And to stay on topic, I couldn't go back to sleep for a few hours. Arrrgghhh...if only homicide was legal.

[cptdeath]

I got kicked out of high school psych for arguing with the football couch who taught the class. he said "no food ever originated in the united states" I laughed at that and said corn.

He said "everyone has a set point for how much food they eat everyday". I said "what about sleep? is there a set point for how much sleep you need?"

"no. your wrong thats not true" . "it's a question." "go down to the office".

"no thanks I'm alright". "not any more Mr.Mic%$#@@!"

there is a set point for how much sleep you need everyday. A healthy sleep patern is in direct relation to how many calories you burn consistantly.

work equels sleep. exercise also effects depression in a posative way